


Follow Her Own Advice

by neighborhoodspaceman



Category: Orange is the New Black
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-08
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-12 06:56:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 59,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2099871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neighborhoodspaceman/pseuds/neighborhoodspaceman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. With her best friend Nicky, Alex is out shopping for a Christmas gift for her girlfriend, Sylvia. They walk into a soap shop and end up getting help from an interesting blonde woman who can't quite keep her foot away from her mouth for too long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was kind of pulled out of thin air and I decided to post it on a whim over on fanfiction.net and now I'm posting it here too. This is my first time writing/posting fic so I have no idea what I'm doing! Yeah, so, here's my thing. Hope you like it.

Chapter 1

 

The bell over the door chimed at it was pushed open. The two women walked in the shop as they were talking.

"Trust me she'll love it, well, let me just say she'll like it. That way if she doesn't love it I don't have to listen to you complain for quite as long."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, as I said before I'm  _not_  sure, but Lorna loves this stuff. She's literally tried everything in here  _at least_  once. And besides this shit's pretty good. Doesn't smell half bad and my feet don't feel like hooves anymore."

"That's a shame. I was kind of getting used to telling people I had a pet goat named Nicky." She said as looked at the items on the shelves with a disinterested look.

"Here, Vause, have this." Nicky reached into her jacket pocket and pulls out her middle finger shoving it in Alex's face. "Hope it's to your liking. I had it custom made." Alex gives her friend a half smirk and continues browsing.

"I'm not even sure what kind of scents she prefers." She says as she opens a bottle of body wash and sniffs at the pink liquid.

"Alex, please. You two have been dating for six months  _at least_  and you're telling me you don't know if she prefers" Nicky reads the labels on the bottles she's holding as she extends her arms towards Alex. "Ginger Touch or Honeysuckle?" Nicky starts laughing.

"Ugh, I swear those just sound like bad stripper names." Alex turned around suddenly indignant with the whole situation. "I don't understand why she's requiring, not asking mind you, that I get her something 'with some thought behind it.'" She mimics and then rolls her eyes.

"Do you roll your eyes like that when she's talking to you? Because I don't know if you know this, but most girls don't like it when you do that."

"Nicky, I'm being serious. I don't do this," she gestures around her at the store "I don't pick out gifts. I don't  _do_  the whole shop-for-the-perfect-gift-deal. I offered to get her a new phone and she just stared at me.  _Then_  I offered to get her a new computer and she had the nerve to glare at me. As if a brand new computer is the most offensive gift one could receive."

Nicky keeps picking items off the shelf and stiffing at the bottles.

"'I got an itchy sweater for Christmas, what'd you get?'" she says in a different voice, "'Oh me? All I got was a three thousand dollar computer, can you believe that?'" Alex finishes with a voice meant to mimic her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry, but can you do that whole bit again, I wasn't ready and didn't a chance to record it, here," Nicky says and she pulls out her phone and prepares to record Alex, "ok go ahead."

"Oh fuck all the way off, Nicky. This is a huge inconvenience and you of all people should know how I feel about this."

"I know very well how much you're hating this whole experience, but she's your girlfriend, Alex, and you  _have_  been dating long enough now that she's allowed to be concerned at the fact that you haven't even touched on the topic of exclusivity."

"Well, it's not like I've been seeing anyone else, I just don't really care to talk about all that." She waves her hand dismissively.

"Maybe you should do this whole basket building thing. Pick out a bunch of shit, say it all reminded you of her and she'll leave you alone for another couple months." Nicky approaches the sign promoting the basket deal. "Although if you ask me, which I know you didn't, you either need to cut her loose or just suck it up and act like a fucking adult and at least give her a drawer in your apartment or something. I mean, she's not that bad is she?"

"That's exactly it, though! She's not bad, she's alright. Very alright.  _Too alright_. And that's all she'll ever be to me: alright. I don't want fucking alright. But I've also kind of gotten used to having her around."

"You're an asshole, you know that, right?"

"It takes one to know one," she smirks at her friend, "And besides, I don't want to break up with her a couple of weeks before Christmas. I may be an asshole, but I'm not evil. I'm not  _completely_  heartless. I'm not Michael fucking Corleone."

"Oh no? Alex Vause, do you renounce Satan?"

"I do renounce him."

"And all his works?"

"I do renounce them."

"And all his pomps?"

"I do renounce them."

They look at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"Polly, are you out there watching movies on Netflix while I do inventory all by MYSELF because if you are I swear I'll arrange the boxes in that way you hate just to fuck with you." Piper's voice faded on the last few words as she walked out from the back room and noticed there were two customers in the store.

"Oh, sorry. I thought I heard movie dialogue," she says gesturing nowhere in particular.

"Good ear! You're not hearing things my friend and I here were reciting lines from a movie."

"I knew it!" She smiled and looked around and the smile slowly faded from her face. "Wait, was there anyone in here when you guys walked in?"

"Yeah some guy in a balaclava and a bag full of merchandise came running out just as we walked in." Nicky looked at her with a shit-eating grin.

"Did he have a big bag with a dollar sign in the other hand?" she asked sarcastically.

Piper and Nicky looked at each a moment and then slowly a smile spread across each other their faces.

Piper is still smiling when she asks, "Do you guys want any help with anything?"

"Actually, my friend and I, we're Christmas shopping and we'd like some, um, guidance."

"Guidance…"

"Yeah, she needs to buy her girlfriend a gift, but she's running into a few problems."

Nicky's phone rings and she looks at the caller ID, "I've gotta take this, sorry." Nicky answers the phone as she steps out of the shop, "Yeah?"

"Right, so you're looking for a gift for your girlfriend," Alex just nods "Ok, well do you know type of scents she prefers?" Alex just stares at her.

"Does she tend to lean towards sweeter scents? Fruity? Flowery?" Piper asks and her voice rises an octave after each question.

"Um, well, her favorite perfume comes in a yellow bottle. No, wait, it's a silver bottle."

Piper just looks at her for a second and thinks of the best way of approaching the situation, "You know what? It's not a problem. Couples can't always remember everything about each other especially when they haven't been seeing each other for very long." Piper crossed her arms and nodded her head as if she were giving sage advice.

Alex tilts her head slightly and looks at Piper with a slightly amused look on her face, "yeah, sure, of course."

Piper turns and faces the display walls, "I recommend building a gift basket and picking out different items with different scents that way she'll have to like at least something in there, right?" She turns back to Alex with a smile that Alex is sure she's practiced in front of a mirror as her make-a-sale smile.

"Makes sense…"

"Of course it does!" Piper becomes excited. Usually Polly handled the customers because as she puts it "Piper's foot remains firmly lodged deep inside her mouth, so you're in charge of not talking to people that we want to come back and keep giving us their money." But Polly wasn't around and Piper was her business partner which meant she could "totally handle things" if she needed to.

"Hm, it's gotta be a scent you're both into, I mean, you guys are going to be bathing together after all." She places her hands on her hips and nods towards the shelves. "Do you prefer showers or baths?"

Alex stares at her with a  _very_  amused look on her face.

"I mean, what do both of you like to do in the bathroom." Piper felt as if she'd been pushed out of an airplane without a parachute, "ok, what I mean to ask is, would a shower gel or bath salts be a better fit?"

At this point all Alex could do was continue to look on at the train wreck that was happening right in front of her.

Piper stands there holding a bottle of turquoise shower gel and light blue bath salts in each hand while looking everywhere besides Alex's face.

"That's an awful lot of questions about me and my girlfriend in the shower."

Piper nearly dropped the jar of bath salts and began sputtering sounds, not quite words, in an attempt to do damage control, "I didn't- I didn't mean- the only reason I asked was- to ensure that she gets a gift she likes it's important to know the person's preferences."

Just then Nicky opened the door and poked her head inside the store, "Hey, we've gotta go. There's a thing at work that needs to be handled pronto."

"A thing? What kind of thing?"

"Someone stupid fucked something up. Again. I'll give you the details on the way." Nicky said while reading something on her phone as she walked out and waited for Alex outside in front of the store.

"But you haven't picked out a gift yet," Piper said waving the bottles that were in her hand.

"Tell you what, I'll come back another time and tell you all about my preferences in the shower, ok?" And with that Alex smiled and left as Piper just stared after her with her mouth hanging open and wide eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys here at AO3 get two chapters at once because there's two already posted over at FFN. 
> 
> Oh and another thing, I had the first five chapters already written before even posting the first chapter. And I didn't think this would turn into much so the first five chapters are on the shorter side, but! as of chapter six (which I'm working on right now) I'll try to stretch them out a bit more as long as it makes sense. Right, well, here goes another chapter!

Chapter 2

"What was that all about?"

"Huh?"

"When we walked into that soap shop you were all Oscar the Grouch and just now you walked outta there like fuckin' Elmo."

Alex smiled slightly and stuffed her hands in her coat pockets. "I didn't do a damn thing. That woman is one hell of a character. She talked herself into that mess and with every word that came out of her mouth she'd sink deeper and deeper and yet she just couldn't stop."

"Well, it looks like you were really enjoying watching her sink. You were as close to visibly giddy as I've ever seen."

Alex just gave Nicky a sideways glance and didn't say a word because she knew Nicky was right. She'd felt more chemistry in the ten-minute conversation she had with the woman at the soap shop than she'd felt in her entire relationship with Sylvia in the six months they'd been together. Combined.

The two walked down the block before trying to hail a cab.

* * *

Piper watched the two women disappear from her line of sight. She stared at the two bottles in her hand and then very, very carefully put them back in their assigned spots.

She turned around and walked behind the counter and sat on the stool and tried her best to get comfortable. She kept adjusting herself trying to get comfortable and that's how Polly found her when she walked back into the store.

"Are you ok?"

Piper nearly fell off the stool but caught herself just in time, "I'm fine, of course I'm fine. Perfectly ok. Average, I'm feeling average." By this time she was on her feet and gesturing rather nervously.

"Ok, if you want me to actually believe you, you're gonna have to stop fidgeting and use less adjectives or else it just looks like you're lying. Which I know you are because you're a terrible liar."

"I'm not lying. I'm telling you the truth. Polly you're my best friend when have I ever lied to you?"

"Successfully? Never. But there were a few attempts which I overlooked because the joy I get from watching you crash and burn is far more satisfying than thinking about whatever it was you were trying to hide from me."

Piper didn't even try to deny it because she knew it was true. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Thanks, by the way, for telling me you were leaving the store. The store was left unattended for God knows how long."

"I was gone no more than half an hour, Piper, relax." Polly placed a few magazines on the counter and then made her way around back.

"Ok, but you couldn't have at least let me know you were leaving? There were customers in here, Polly. Customers that left without buying anything."

Polly closed the magazine she was looking at and slowly looked at her friend with her eyes as wide as saucers. "Piper… what did you do?"

Piper looked offended as she answered her friend, "I didn't  _do_  anything. I heard voices and I thought you were watching Netflix AGAIN," she gave her friend a look, "and came out to yell at you when I saw them."

"Well if you didn't do anything, why did they leave without making a purchase, then?"

"Because the one outside said someone fucked something up and I was in the middle of helping the, um, tall, brunette choose a Christmas gift for her girlfriend, but I didn't get a chance to finish. She was about to tell me what she prefers when she's showering and they just left."

Polly stared at Piper for a few seconds. "Piper, I want you to repeat what you just said to me in your head. Then you'll have an answer as to why I'm usually in charge of handling customers and you're in charge of inventory and being in the back."

Piper waved her arms in frustration. "Polly, you're hearing all this out of context."

Polly widened her eyes even more and looked at her expectantly, "well I'd love to hear what exactly went down because I just can't imagine a scenario where it's alright for you to be asking customers what their bathing preferences are."

"Shower preferences."

"What?"

"Right before she left she told me she'd come back and tell me about her shower preferences. She specifically said shower."

"Feel free to elaborate at any moment."

"Well, if she prefers showers than I can rule out bath salts."

"Piper, please, start from the beginning because this is getting more and more confusing."

"You asked a customer what her and her girlfriend do  _in the shower?!_ " Polly sat there in shock for a few moments.

"You know what, it came out wrong. Because the question was valid in that I was trying to find out what product would be best in that situation so that I could make an efficient suggestion to complete a sale."

"Did you rehearse that while I was gone so I wouldn't smack you in the head once I found what you asked A CUSTOMER?"

"She said she was coming back so I don't see why you're so upset about this. I mean, she didn't look offended in any way that I could tell."

"Piper honey, you weren't blessed with the gift of being able to discern when someone is offended or not. Either that or you  _can_  tell but your brain just can't stop the words from leaving your mouth fast enough."

Piper looked at her friend and blinked before dropping her head into her hands.

"Come on, hon, let's go get lunch. You look like you've had quite a morning."

"Let's go somewhere with a bar. I need a drink."

"Piper, it's just past noon and you're still at work."

"I know, Pol, but I asked a customer what she does in the shower."

"Ok, not that what you did was great, but it's normal… for  _you._  Why are you so upset about this occurrence in specific? You usually just shrug and give me this smile as if I'm supposed to accept it as part of your charm."

"You didn't see her, Pol."

"What do you mean?"

Piper sighed deeply and began, "she didn't even look upset. There was a moment where I looked directly into her eyes for a few seconds and, if anything, she looked  _amused._  And I couldn't, for the life of me, look away. And then after that I couldn't look at her at all!"

"She was flirting with you, then? Because that's what it sounds like to me."

"What?! No, Polly, I just- I made as ass of myself yet again and she just found it interesting probably because she'd never seen someone sink as quickly as I was."

"Sorry, but didn't you say that right before she left she said, and I quote, 'I'll come back later and tell you about my shower preferences.'" Polly asked holding her hands out questioningly.

"Well yes, but-"

"But nothing, Piper. She was flirting with you! And the reason why you were so nervous and why you're upset about it even now is because you liked it."

Piper groaned, "Just get me somewhere with alcohol, please." Polly smiled and dragged her friend by the arm.

* * *

"That's your second beer. Before your third beer you have to tell me what's got you acting all," Nicky gestured towards Alex, "this way."

"I spend most of the day around you. Your weird was bound to rub off on me eventually." She smirked as she sipped her beer.

"You should be grateful for that, but that's not what I'm talking about. Lately you've been acting as if there's a splintery branch permanently stuck up your ass and then today, suddenly, you're… pleasant." Alex grimaced at the mental picture Nicky just painted for her.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the… interesting blonde at the soap shop earlier, would it."

Alex didn't answer immediately. She sipped her beer and stared at the label on the bottle for a moment. "You know what I think? I think that if we delay the shipment to Vermont two days, I mean it's not that far, we might be able to make the San Diego shipment on time."

"That's actually a fucking brilliant idea, but that's not what I asked you."

"If you're asking me if I think she's attractive the answer is, yes, I find her attractive. But to ask if a complete stranger that I spoke to for all of fifteen minutes has significantly affected my mood is a little much, don't you think?"

Nicky picked up her beer bottle and brought it to her lips to take a drink, "What  _I_  think is that I haven't seen you sport such a dumb look on your face, much less a full on smile, for about four months." Nicky finally took a sip of her beer.

Nicky caught Alex's gaze and they looked at each other for a few minutes. Alex was the first one to look away. She knew Nicky was right. She was with her girlfriend, Sylvia, more out of convenience than because of actual feelings for her. Sylvia was nice enough to have around, but Alex would be lying if she said that she felt any strong feelings towards Sylvia. Her relationship with her felt like sitting in a lukewarm bath and waiting for the water to heat up on it's own. She knew that she should've ended it already but having Sylvia around was better than not having anyone around. Alex looked back at Nicky, "I've gotta go back and buy Sylvia's Christmas gift still."

Nicky gave her friend a knowing smile, "I'm busy tomorrow. You go on ahead without me."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Pete asked me to go see him play on Sunday. And since you're my best friend you're coming with me, right?" Polly looked at her friend and pleaded with her eyes. Polly and Pete had been dating for a couple months and he'd been trying to get her to come out and watch him play soccer for a few weeks now and she'd finally run out of excuses.

Without looking at her friend Piper answered, "You're buying me lunch afterwards though."

"Yes! Of course! We'll go to that brunch place you almost got us banned from." They turned the corner and were now on the street Popi was on.

"Well if that stuffy old bitch could just keep her stupid and ridiculously narrow-minded opinions to herself I wouldn't have had to tell her exactly where she could put those opinions."

"The look on that lady's face and the general shock on everyone else's face was almost worth being banned from that place. I'm glad we're not though, I love that place too much."

"Oh, I know! They make the best waffles  _and_  they have house made whole grain bread!"

"Sometimes I think you'd be better off in California with your eating habits. Oh, and by the way, I refuse to do another cleanse with you after the holidays this time around. Last year my finger tips started to turn orange because of all that fucking carrot juice."

"Well if you had added the kale like the book said then-"

"No more cleanses," they were about fifty feet away from their store when Polly noticed someone leaning on the front display window, "you know, it took me three hours to get that display window just the way I wanted it and now some asshole comes along and leans against the window blocking the view to my hard work."

At this Piper looked up and as they came close she noticed who the person was. "Oh my God, Polly, it's her. Polly, it's her."

"Piper let go of my arm. Who's her? What are you talking about?"

"It's her. The shower lady. The woman whose naked showers I asked about. Naked habits. Shower habits. The one that said she'd be back and now's she back." Piper reached into her purse and grabbed two sticks of spearmint gum and shoved them in her mouth.

"Piper, calm down. She's not a cop and we're not selling drugs so why are you acting like we're about to get arrested?" Polly had her hands on Piper's shoulders and was trying to get Piper's attention so she could calm her friend down.

"You're right. Yeah, I mean, just another customer, right? No big deal, no problem." Piper shook her arms out and took a very deep breath.

After a few seconds Polly lightly touched Piper's left arm, "Piper, honey, exhale. If it'll make you feel any better I can handle her."

"Ok, yes, ok, alright. I'll just… go work in the back."

They approached the door and Alex looked up and smirked, "told you I'd be back."

Piper smiled tightly and nodded not trusting anything normal to come out of her mouth.

"We're just coming back form lunch, hope we didn't keep you waiting too long. We're usually open by this time, sorry." Polly explained.

"No problem, I figured as much."

Polly unlocked the door and punched in the code for the alarm. Piper rushed past her almost immediately and went to the back room. Alex just looked at Polly.

"She really had to use the bathroom. Too many lemonades at lunch."

"Right…" Alex simply nodded.

"So is there anything I can help you find today?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, I'll just wait for her to come back out. I was in here the other day and she was helping me find something and well she already has an idea of what I'm looking for."

"Not a problem. I'll go let her know you're waiting on her."

* * *

After waiting outside the bathroom for ten minutes Polly starts whispering threats to Piper through the door.

"Piper, if you don't get out here right now I will call your mother and invite her to lunch next week and I'll ask her to meet me here at the store. But I won't tell you when she's coming so I'll leave the store and you'll be here alone and have to handle her all by yourself."

Piper opens the door and looks Polly right in the eyes, "you wouldn't."

"Try me, Piper. Quit being such a baby and go help out this customer you seem to have a crush on." Polly was pushing Piper by the shoulders towards the front at this point.

Piper began to protest "I DO NOT" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "I do  _not_  have a crush on her. She just- she makes me nervous. She's a little intimidating that's all."

"That's the same thing you said about that stupid boyfriend you had in college, you know the cute one that always smelled like milk."

"I never understood that because he was lactose intolerant."

"Piper! Out front. Now!" Piper made her way out front while Polly stayed conveniently hidden in the backroom.

"Hi, um, you're back."

"Well, I said I'd be didn't I? I still have to give you a full report on my shower preferences."

Piper blushed a wonderful shade of red. "Right. Ok, well if I remember correctly you were looking for a gift for your, um, girlfriend, right?"

"Yeah, problem is I have no idea what kind of scents she's into."

"Yeah, I remember," Alex smirked as she looked at her while the blonde looked at the shelves. She stood there for a minute deep in thought until finally she faced Alex with a look that told Alex she just had a great idea.

"What do you smell like?" She took a step closer and almost actually sniffed Alex.

"You're not very good at filtering your thoughts are you?"

"No, I mean, if you choose something that you'd use maybe she'll like it because it smells like you?" Piper was much more sure of what she was saying when she started talking so it ended up sounding like a question.

Alex thought about it for a moment and then started looking at the shelves. "I like this one."

"Really?" Piper looked at the bottle in Alex's hand and continued, "It's just that I never imagined that's what you would smell like."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex gave Piper a smirk and tilted her head, "You've  _imagined_  what I would smell like?"

"Yes, for research purposes. I knew you'd be back and I wanted to be prepared."

Toying with the string tied around the bottle Alex lowered her voice a bit, took the smallest step toward Piper and asked, "Well, when you do imagine  _smelling_  me, what scent do you smell?"

She swallowed and suddenly had difficulty taking a deep breath, "Oh, I just thought you'd be more of a…" Piper's voice trailed off as she looked for the specific shower gel, "hang on I think it's still in the back."

Piper disappeared for a few minutes and came back holding a bottle filled with a grayish blue liquid, "here we go" Piper hands Alex the bottle their fingers touching momentarily.

"'Sea storm', really? Did you come up with that awe-inspiring name?" she asked sarcastically.

Piper lets out a snort and quickly covers her mouth, "no that one was Polly, but I chose the ingredients. Oh, but don't let her hear you say that about the name though. She felt oddly proud of that name because it 'sounded deep'" Piper made air quotes and then rolled her eyes.

Alex opened the bottle and inhaled the scent, "well it looks like you're good at your job after all. I'll take it. I'm not saying the name because I can't without making a face."

Piper almost didn't believe that she'd successfully helped a customer without saying  _too_  many ridiculous or inappropriate things. "Yes of course I'll ring that up for you right away. Oh, um, did you want it gift wrapped?"

"No, just a bag's fine." Piper nodded and made her way behind the counter.

Alex walked over to the counter and handed Piper the bottle and their fingers touched again. Almost instantly Piper's eye shot to Alex's and they looked at each other for a few seconds before Piper looked away. She tried pulling the bottle away and Alex held onto it for a second longer forcing the blonde to look back at her. Alex had a playful look in her eyes.

"Do you guys make these yourselves?" Alex gestured to the display shelves.

"Well when we first started out we used to make them in Polly's," Piper pointed over her shoulder to the backroom, "kitchen but as things started to grow we got a warehouse upstate and we've got people that make them in larger quantities. I mean, the recipe and stuff is still ours, but since we've upgraded from just soaps to shower gels and bath salts now, we've got people to handle the chemistry side of things."

"You cook meth there too?" She placed her hands flat on the counter and leaned in a little.

Catching on to her joke Piper turned towards her a little and continued with it, "No, but there's this one bald guy there who's kind of sketchy." She looked up and smiled at her.

Alex pulled out a business card and laid in on the counter and slid it towards Piper using her index finger. "I know you've already got someone doing your shipping, but if they ever fuck up gimme a call and I'll work out a good deal for you."

Piper picked up the business card and read the information on it. "Alex, that's your name." Never had finding out someone's name made Piper smile so openly before.

Alex chuckled at her reaction. "Yeah, and you're…" Piper looked up from the card and it took her a moment to understand the question.

"I'm Piper." She said with her hand on her chest and a stupid smile on her face. "I see that aside from exporting you also sell antique furniture. Interesting."

"You're into antiques?" She drummed her fingers on the counter and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I've been looking for a nice desk for my home office. I moved in a little while ago and promised myself I'd get something nice, but I just can't find anything I like so I decided I'd go all out and get something really unique."

With an almost mischievous smile on her face she says, "Well, you're in luck then. We're having a holiday party for all our customers and clients in our showroom the Friday after Christmas. You and your friend are now officially invited; I'll have two invites delivered here this week." She tapped the back of Piper's hand that was resting on the counter a few times.

And with that Alex placed money on the counter, picked up her bag made of 100% recycled paper, gave Piper a less than subtle wink, and left. Piper slipped the card into her back pocket and turned to find her friend staring at her, "look at you! You're networking  _and_  flirting!" Piper just sat on the stool and let out a long, slow breath.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

“You need to relax. As soon as we get inside we’re going straight to the bar and you’re getting some alcohol in you. I haven’t seen you this nervous since finals week senior year.”

“I’m not nervous, Polly-“

“Oh no? Then why have you been rambling since the moment we got in the cab? And why have you been wringing your hands like that,” Polly points at Piper’s hands and she immediately stops and places them at her sides, “the whole ride over? And more importantly why do you look like you took uppers?”

“What?”

“Your eyes are really wide and I can _see_ you breathing.” Polly paid the driver and they stepped out of the cab onto the sidewalk in front of the store, Room 248.

Piper let out an exaggerated scoff, “I’m not, no, listen I’m fine. See?” Piper made a gesture that was supposed to put Polly at ease but only served to make her confused.

“Whatever, Piper, just don’t embarrass me because I know you’ll be embarrassing yourself.” Piper didn’t even make an effort to look offended at the very true statement. “Ok now let’s get inside. The invite said it’s open bar!”

* * *

 

There was a soft knock on the door, Alex looked up as Nicky walked in.

“You know, this isn’t how parties work. You invite the guests, you know the people downstairs, and you’re supposed to be there to talk to them. I mean, that’s the general rule of parties.”

“Well where’s the fun in doing things the conventional way?”

Nicky looked over at Alex’s computer screen. “Jesus, Alex, really? First of all, work hours are over and second of all we’re technically closed until after New Year so you’re definitely not supposed to be up here working.”

Alex looks at her screen while she types and asks her, “You came up here to tell me all these things that I already know. How thoughtful of you.”

“No, asshole, I came up here because Sylvia asks me every five minutes when you’re coming down and there’s only so many times I can lie to her before she realizes you’re avoiding her.” She puts down the paperweight she’d been tossing around.

Alex lets out a loud breath and turns towards Nicky, “Fine, fine. I’ll be right down. Just-just go mingle and I’ll be down in five.”

Nicky looked at her friend a moment longer and turned to leave.

* * *

 

“I need a bathroom. I need a bathroom  _right now._ ”

“You are worse than A CHILD.”

“I get bladder issues when I get nervous you know that, Polly.”

“I thought you weren’t nervous?”

“I’M NOT.” Piper said just loud enough for a few of the other people in the show room to turn their heads.

“Look who showed up” Both women turn their heads and see Nicky with an almost scheming smile on her face. “Don’t pee on my floor, Blondie, bathroom’s over there.” She said pointing to a corridor in the back of the store.

Piper mumbled a quick “thanks” before rushing off towards the bathroom.

“Who’re you?” Nicky asked bluntly.

A little taken aback by her bluntness Polly took a few seconds to answer, “I’m Polly, Piper’s friend and business partner.”

“Hm, only her _business_ partner?” Nicky asked with an overly serious look to compensate for the lack of tact in her question.

“And friend. Business partner and friend.” Polly repeated a tad confused not understanding why she was answering the same question within five minutes.

Nicky nodded and sipped her drink.

* * *

 

Alex walked down from her office and down the corridor. She was reading an email on her phone and didn’t see or hear the bathroom door open and close, nor did she see the person walk out.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Piper quickly picked up the dropped phone and turned to look at the other person. “I didn’t see you, I’m sorry, I was a little, um-” just then Piper saw who it was she’d run into.

Alex looked her in the eyes and smirked as she said, “You made it. I was beginning to think you were lying about liking antiques and weren’t gonna show up.”

“Yes, well, I RSVP’d and it would be considered bad form to do that and not show up. Oh god, I sound just like my mother.” Piper said as she pressed the palm of her hand into her forehead.

“Well, if you ask me, your form is far from bad.”

Piper wanted to be annoyed at the cheesy line but with Alex’s smug little grin and the spark in her eyes it was almost impossible. “Thanks.”

Alex looked at her for another moment and then laughed out loud. “You’re something else you know that, kid?”

With the most ungracefully endearing snort Piper shook her head and pointed at herself with both hands, “yeah, well, when they made me they broke the mould.”

Alex caught and held her gaze for a minute before she said to her, “if you need help holding those pieces together I’ve got two very well functioning hands.”

Alex reached over and played with a piece of her hair and just before letting go she looped it around her index finger a couple of times. Piper looked like she was going to pass out. The hallway wasn’t exactly small but right then it felt like a 4x4 room to the blonde. Giving Piper an almost too intense stare down she stepped back suddenly.

“Looks like someone needs a drink. Come on, I need one too.” And she took off towards the bar with Piper following.

They walked out of the long corridor and made their way over to the bar that’d been set up for the party. Alex walked up to the bar and asked for a whisky neat with a splash of water.

“What about you?”

“Um, can I have a margarita?”

The brunette gave her a look, a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “It’s a little cold out for a margarita don’t you think?

“I need tequila.”

“You _need_ tequila?”

Piper only nodded and stood there nervously waiting for her drink.

“Are you alright? You seem… nervous.”

“What? No, I’m not nervous. I’m just not relaxed, that’s why I need tequila.”

“Ah, ok, and why are you ‘just not relaxed’?”

“Just… there’s a lot of people here and well I’m not always great with crowds. Especially when I have to talk for longer than a few minutes with people.” She said as she tapped her fingers on the bar. It was a complete lie, but she wasn’t about to tell Alex that her little move in the hallway had left her in quite a state.

“I remember very well.” She gave Piper her signature smirk and came a step closer to her.

Piper snorted, “If you think that was bad then you’re in for a treat.” She thanked the bar tender as she took her drink and downed most of it in one go. Alex seemed to be getting closer and closer to her as the night went on.

“I like your style. I mean, you have a natural difficulty at maintaining a regular conversation with people so the next logical step would be to add alcohol into the equation.”

“Well, you know, I figured if I have no filter when I’m sober, I might have a filter when I’m drunk.” Piper shrugged and continued to drink her margarita. All the while her eyes were fixed on Alex’s.

“Oh good, you’re back. Did you make it to the bathroom or do I have to get a mop?” Both women turned to see Nicky and a woman with shoulder-length brown hair make their way to the bar for a refill.

Piper placed a hand on Nicky’s shoulder, the alcohol beginning to kick in, and said, “I did, so you don’t have to worry about anything.” She shook her head in an attempt to assure Nicky that she did not in fact pee on her floor.

Nicky was amused by the blonde’s friendliness. “Good, ‘cause I’m not dressed for that tonight.”

Piper finished her drink and signaled the bar tender and motioned for him to make her another. She swallowed the liquid she’d been holding in her mouth and looked at Nicky’s legs, “you know what, those are very nice pants. I think I might have the same pair. Are those midnight blue or dark navy?”

“They’re really dark fucking blue. Even said that on the tag.” Nicky picked up her drink and sipped while looking at Piper.

“Nicky, it’s very rude not introduce your guests.” Piper tried to admonish Nicky but failed because she was actually smiling.

“Lorna this is Piper, she owns that soap shop you love, the one with the bath salts you can’t live without, and Piper, this is the person that has the patience and grace to put up with me daily, Lorna.”

“Very nice to meet you! I just love your products!” Lorna smiled real wide at Piper.

“Oh well that’s very nice of you to say, thank you. I love that you love our products.”

Right then a hand wrapped around Piper’s arm and turned her around. “That was the longest bathroom trip ever, even for you. I thought you fell in the toilet again.”

“Again?” Alex asked.

“Yeah it’s a long story.” Piper tried to brush off the embarrassing story her best friend conveniently brought up.

“No, you can’t just bring up falling in the toilet _again_ and not tell the story. That’s not how it works.” Nicky explained as if it were law.

Polly furrowed her brows, “How what works?”

“It’s a basic rule: you bring up an embarrassing story and it has to be told. If you didn’t wanna share it you wouldn’t have brought it up.” She held a hand out to her side and looked at them as if this were common knowledge.

“Come on, Piper. Tell us about the time you fell in the toilet.” Alex said as she smiled while looking at Piper and lightly touching her elbow.

“Times.” Polly said just before she sipped her cocktail. Piper gave Polly a look that said ‘you will pay for this.’

“Ok fine I’ll tell you about one time. It was sophomore year of college and Polly and I went to a party and got excessively drunk. Through some miracle we made it back to our dorm in one piece and went directly to the bathroom. Well we were in there a while and Polly fell asleep on the toilet-”

“No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did. Anyway, I didn’t have any toilet paper in my stall so I asked Polly for some, but I was whispering? Well I thought I was whispering. Yeah, so I heard Polly snoring and knew someone was asleep but in my drunk state I didn’t realize I was in a dorm bathroom and that’s not where people slept.”

“Except for Polly.” Alex said.

Piper smiled at Alex, “except for Polly. So when Polly didn’t answer I decided to look over the partition, but when I stood on the toilet I lost my footing and _almost_ ended up falling in the toilet.”

“Wow, that was anticlimactic.” Nicky said with a bored look on her face.

Piper sipped some more of her second drink. “Mmm, there’s more.”

Nicky smiled real wide, “there’s more!” she said as she looked around at everyone.

“Well, I thought since I almost fell in the toilet once that night that I’d, you know, cheated death or something.”

“That’s pretty deep.” Piper nodded her head as if to say thank you to Nicky for her compliment.

“Well, after I was done, I felt a little sick and threw up. But just before I left I had to throw up again and turned around, but just as I did someone open the stall door and ended up knocking me over and I tried to catch myself on the seat but my aim as a drunk person is… not great.”

By this point Nicky was staring at her half smiling, half completely grossed out. “Wait, don’t tell me you got an handful of your own puke.” When Nicky saw Piper’s ‘yup’ expression she could no longer contain her laughter. “Yeah, you’re alright, Blondie. We’ll go drinking sometime and I’ll tell you about the time I woke up naked on a beach in Florida with about ten loaves of sliced bread dumped all over me.”

“And a jar of pickles” Alex added.

“No, those were mine. I just wanted a snack.”

* * *

 

They’d been chatting for a little while when they were approached by a woman, on the shorter side, with auburn hair, aggressive eyes and a very rehearsed smile. “There you are! I’ve been looking for you for ages. Please tell me you weren’t working again.”

Sylvia pulls Alex down for a less than subtle kiss in front of the other women. After a few moments she pulled back and looked at the others as if noticing them for the first time. “Hi, I’m Sylvia, Alex’s girlfriend. And you are?”

“This is Polly and that one’s Piper. Piper here’s in search of a new desk so we told to stop by.” Nicky explained not leaving any room for Sylvia’s active imagination.

“Yeah sort of like a moving slash late Christmas gift to myself type thing.”

“A desk as a Christmas gift. Oh ok.” Sylvia said.

“Well, I mean, it’s not gonna be just any desk. It’s an antique! And I’m thinking of going all out and getting one of those real fancy ones too.”

“Ok, yeah, good for you.” Sylvia wasn’t even trying to hide her confusion at this point. Desks aren’t Christmas gifts.

In an attempt to make the awkward tension go away Piper decided to talk. “I like your necklace! It’s very nice!” Piper gestured to the necklace that was resting on Sylvia’s collarbone.

“Isn’t is just gorgeous? It’s my Christmas present from Alex.” Sylvia wrapped an arm around Alex’s waist and continued, “I told her I only wanted one gift. And I wanted it to be something thoughtful, you know. Not just any gift, but something that made her think of me.” She looked up at Alex and smiled real wide, “And so when I opened this Christmas morning I was just at a loss for words. It’s perfect.”

“What about the shower gel?” Piper asked mildly confused. She could’ve sworn that when Alex was in her store, both times, it was to buy her girlfriend a gift.

“Shower gel. How do you know about the shower gel?”

“Oh, Polly and I, we own Popi. That’s our store.”

“Right. Yeah, the shower gel’s Alex’s. She knows better than to show up with a bottle of grey shower gel as a Christmas gift for me.” She says and she touched her necklace and laughed incredulously at Piper’s ridiculous suggestion.

As Sylvia calls the bar tender over Piper looks away from the woman that was just talking to her and sees Alex looking at her intently. Alex kept the shower gel for herself. The shower gel that Piper not only created but picked out for her.

Piper downed the rest of her drink in one gulp.


	5. Chapter 5

A few weeks passed and they were well into the New Year. January was nearly over and the holiday fog had lifted. It was a regular morning and Piper was sitting in the office going over their next product order when the phone rang.

“Thanks for calling Popi. This is Piper, how may I help you?”

“That’s quite a mouthful. You should find a way to make that greeting shorter.”

Piper had only heard it a couple of times, but she instantly recognized the voice. “How about ‘Popi, this is Piper!’”

“Oh no that’s worse. Just forget I said anything.”

Piper chuckled into the phone. “What can I do for you, Alex?”

“Weeeell, I was just calling to let you know that we just received a new shipment last night and one of the items just so happens to be a desk. And I wanted to know if you wanna take a look at it before it goes out on the floor. You don’t have to buy it if you don’t want to. But I just thought I’d give you the first look.”

“Oh, first look, huh. How exclusive!” Piper’s smile could be heard through the phone. “Ok, what time should I stop by?”

“12:30’s fine.”

“Alright, see you in a couple of hours then.”

* * *

 

At 12:30 p.m. on the dot Piper was standing in front of Room 248, Alex and Nicky’s store. Just as she was about to reach for the door it opened and out stepped Alex.

“Good, you’re here. Let’s go.” Alex started walking down the block without looking if Piper was following her or not.

It took Piper a moment to step into action and follow Alex. After twenty minutes Alex stopped in front of what appeared to be a café and held the door open and waited for Piper to walk in. After a couple seconds when Piper was still standing in her spot outside of the café Alex spoke.

“Are you going in or do you plan on standing outside the whole time?” Piper walked in and Alex was right behind her.

“This way” Alex motioned for Piper to follow her. They weaved in between tables and stopped once they reached a booth towards the back of the restaurant that was next to a large window.

“Why are we here?”

“It’s lunch time and I like the food here so I came here.”

“And the desk?”

Alex smirked at Piper, “don’t worry, the desk will still be there after lunch.”

* * *

 

As they ate their food Alex asked Piper, “So, how’d you get in the _artisanal bath product_ business?”

Piper smiled at the over exaggerated way she said the words, “Polly, she’s the one that used to do it at home. I just convinced her we could sell it. We started out at farmer’s markets and then, almost overnight, we were selling so much we had to open a store.”

Alex nodded her head in understanding as the blonde continued talking, “and lately we’ve been getting emails from people all over the country wanting to buy our products. I mean, how incredible is that?”

“Pretty incredible.”

“Well, I’m no _international antiques dealer_ , but I’ll get there someday. Maybe.” she said as she sipped her tea.

Alex just laughed, “you know, the offer still stands. If you ever want to get rid of your current shipper or if you’re looking for someone who really knows what they’re doing, the offer still stands.” She wiped her mouth with her napkin and started to get up, “I’ll be right back, don’t go anywhere. I mean it.” She smiled as she left.

Piper checked her phone and saw she had a missed call from Polly and decided to call back.

“Hey, how’s desk hunting going?”

“Oh, I haven’t seen the desk yet.”

“Ok… then what have you been doing?”

“I’m at lunch. With Alex.”

“Sea-storm-shower-gel Alex?” Polly asked so quickly her words jumbled together.

“Yes.”

“You didn’t tell me you were having lunch with her.”

“I didn’t know either. I showed up to look at the desk and she made me follow her.”

“She made you? Like, she actually told you that she wouldn’t show you the desk unless you went to lunch with her? Like that?”

“Well, no, she saw me and just sort of started walking towards here and I followed.”

“You didn’t ask where you were going?”

“No, come to think of it I only asked one question and it was only after we were seated.”

“Wow I wonder what that’s like.”

“What what’s like?”

“Doing something with you without you asking a million questions” Polly tilted her head and Piper could hear the smile on her friend’s voice.

“Oh shut up, Polly. I’m curious that’s all. Ok I’ve gotta go, she’s coming back. Bye.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Oh no, just Polly wondering if I liked the desk.”

“Good news for me then.”

“Yeah- wait what? Good news for you?”

“Well, it’s not like I couldn’t handle the competition, it’s just that it wouldn’t be any competition at all. And I like a challenge.”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“Technically, yes, I do have a girlfriend.”

“‘Technically yes’ still means yes. And what makes you think I’m interested in you anyway?”

“First of all, it’s complicated with me and Sylvia and-”

“Yeah that necklace you got her just _screams_ ‘it’s complicated’ alright.” Piper rolled her eyes.

“If you’re not interested why do you care what kind of gift I got Sylvia then?”

“Again, just to be clear, I don’t care what gifts you get your girlfriend. And if you ask me I don’t think you spent more than five minutes picking out that necklace and I can’t BELIEVE she bought that you ‘thought of her’ when you saw it.”

Alex was quiet for a moment. She studied Piper then began speaking. “You’re right. I spent all of ten minutes in the jewelry store from the time I walked in and out. I’m more of the gift certificate type. Buuuuut she _insisted_ on me picking out a gift. It actually all worked in my favor now that I think about it.”

“How so?”

“Well, you see, the first place I went to look for a gift was this store that sold _artisanal bath products_ and this girl that worked there, she asked me all these personal questions about me and my girlfriend in the shower,” by this time Piper was blushing and smiling, “and while overly personal questions from strangers are not something I put up with, I couldn’t bring myself to be mad at her. She was crashing and burning so spectacularly. It was really fucking cute actually.” Alex smiled at Piper and for a few minutes they just watched each other.

“Still doesn’t mean I’m interested though.”

“Was I supposed to believe that? Ok, sorry, say it one more time and I’ll do my best to be convinced.” Alex rested her chin in her right hand.

“How do you have any friends? Is this how you talk to people? I mean, I get Nicky being your friend, because she’s… Nicky.” Alex watched Piper the same way a kid watches the fireworks on the beach seated on a blanket on the Fourth of July.

“Candy.”

“….What?”

“You asked me how I have friends and the answer is candy. You’d be surprised the shit people will put up with if you give them a treat.”

“Like a dog?”

“Pretty much. Whenever a particularly terrible client or customer comes into the store barking like a rabid dog I always stop them from foaming at the mouth by taking them into the conference room. The conference room that has a whole shelf filled with candy jars.”

As she’s talking Alex pulls a clear sandwich baggy from her bag. She opens it and starts picking through the jellybeans inside. Once she finds the specific one she’s looking for she extends her hands towards Piper offering her some.

Piper smiles and reaches in grabbing a small handful. She carefully chooses two and pops them in her mouth and smiles triumphantly at having created her desired flavor combination. “You’re telling me full grown adults essentially stop throwing tantrums or freaking out because of candy?”

“Yep. It’s amazing to watch.” Alex smiles at Piper not realizing what’s happening.

Piper nods and she chooses two more jellybeans.

Alex watches Piper carefully and waits until the precise moment to bring up the question that’s been bugging her for a little bit now. “How did you know I didn’t put any thought into the necklace?”

Piper stopped mid-chew and maybe it was the candy, she doesn’t know, but she decided to play Alex’s game.

“Why’d you keep the shower gel?”

“I asked you first. And it’s rude to answer a question with another question.” Alex pulled away the candy and raised her eyebrows at Piper.

“It’s rude to withhold candy from someone especially when they can _clearly_ see at least three pear flavored ones in there.” Piper crosses her arms and does her best to mimic Alex’s eyebrows.

After two minutes Piper cried uncle. “Ok FINE. I’ll tell you if you’ll please just give bring the baggy down here.” She pointed to the middle of the table. Alex brought the candy down in the most unnecessarily slow manner possible.

“Hm, it was written all over your face. I mean, when she walked over you actually winced when she kissed you.” Alex’s face remained neutral.

“Now are you going to tell me why you kept the shower gel?”

“Oh, well, I have this activity I do daily called showering and that stuff is usually a requirement. You now, Piper, for someone that works in a soap shop I thought you’d have learned this by now.”

Piper made a face and threw a jellybean at her.

“Hey! Don’t throw the red ones! I like the red ones.”

“It was a cinnamon one, don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I bit into it first.”

Alex stopped immediately and looked at Piper with a very serious expression. “Is that why it was wet?”

“Well, yeah, Alex things get wet when you put them in your mouth.”

Alex would later congratulate herself for not exploding as she watched the scene before her unfold.

As soon as the words where spoken Piper, once again, realized too late what she had just said. The first look on her face was recognition. Then she jogged right past embarrassed into mortified. And last but not least was resignation because it wasn’t the first time this happened and she knew very well it wouldn’t be the last.

“If you ever found a way to make your little issue a marketable talent then you’d be a billionaire because I swear no one can go from zero to awkward as fast as you can.”

“I could be a celebrity! And I could be on commercials! Oh! I could be the poster girl for awkward. ‘Hi, I’m Piper Chapman. Have you every said something so monumentally stupid at the worst possible time? Me too.’”

“And you could make some of those rubber wristbands all the kids love to wear. Make them too big so it’s difficult to wear comfortably. It’ll be poetic. Represents the struggle awkward people face and all.”

“I feel like I should be writing all this down. Hey, if I make it big, I’ll give you a cut, you know, for helping me with all these brilliant ideas.” Piper smiles really wide and reaches for the candy.

Alex was still holding the bag in her left hand close to herself. Piper reached over and into the bag. Alex took advantage of the opportunity and grabbed Piper’s hand. Piper looked up at Alex and saw the mischief in her eyes. Alex wouldn’t let go of her hand so Piper thought of a simple solution.

Instead of trying to loosen her right hand from Alex’s grip she left it there and reached over with her left hand, grabbed some candy and ate it while looking directly into the brunettes eyes.

* * *

 

After a few minutes they left the restaurant and after they’d been walking for about five minutes Piper stopped dead in her tracks and nearly shrieked, “the bill! We forgot to pay the bill. Oh my god this is so embarrassing.”

Just before Piper started back in the direction they’d just come from Alex placed a hand on her shoulder, “Piper, I took care of the check. Relax.” The brunette chuckled as Piper’s face went from mortified to relieved.

“Oh thank god. How much do I owe you?” Piper asked as she started rummaging through her bag looking for her wallet.

Alex just laughed a little, put her hands in her coat pockets and gave Piper a little shoulder bump. “Don’t worry about it. You can buy me lunch next time and we’ll call it even.”

Piper nodded not fully realizing that she’d just agreed to see Alex again. “Ok.”

* * *

 

“It’s right through here.” Alex led Piper through the showroom and into the corridor where the bathroom was. They went all the way down and to the left of the stairs was a door marked ‘employees only’ which happened to be the door they entered. They walked through and Alex looked around a bit until she found it and walked over. “Here it is.”

“Oh, wow it’s beautiful. Absolutely stunning!” Piper looked at the mahogany desk with intricate designs carved into the wood.

“Pretty nice, right?”

“Nice? Ha, understatement of the year.” She circled the desk and got a little closer to see all the carvings properly.

“Now, I think it might be a bit big for the space you’re working with, but I still wanted you to see it.”

Piper looked at Alex and felt a little surprised with the information she’d just received. “How do you know how big my apartment is and how did you know I’d like it?”

“I just do.” Alex shrugged. Her phone rang and she checked the screen. “Hold on one second.” She reluctantly walked further away to answer her call.

Piper took another survey of the desk as it’s one the most well done pieces she’s ever seen.

“Sorry, I had to take that.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Yeah… How’d you know?”

“I just do.” Piper smirked as she repeated Alex’s line back to her.

“Listen, I know pretty much any and all antiques dealers in the city. If you want I can put a word out for what you’re looking for and they’ll get back to me if they receive anything that fits the description in their store?”

“Yes, that’d be great. Oh thank you! I’m dead set on getting this and won’t give up until I get it.”

“I like the determination.”

“Hm. I’ve always been told it was stubbornness, never before has anyone referred to it as determination. Makes it sound more…” Piper made fists and tried to make a gesture that would convey her feelings.

“Well, when you know what you want you go after it. If there are obstacles then that just makes it clearer to you of how much you want it. Whatever it is. Life’s too short for bullshit. Go for what you want, I always say.”

And as Piper looked at the desk again Alex couldn’t take her eyes off of her. She decided right then and there to follow her own advice.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Nicky sat on the couch in Alex's office going over a few work things but after fifteen minutes or so she was all too aware that her friend's mind was elsewhere.

"And then we're gonna pin you down, pour honey in your ears and shave your head." Nicky tried to shock Alex back into the conversation but it was no use. "Then me and Frank Sinatra are going out for drinks. We'll ride our unicorns there and eat ten pounds of ice cream."

"Hm"

"Alex, have you heard a single word I just said?"

"You're meeting Frank something at a pub where beer costs ten pounds." Alex still hadn't looked up from her phone.

"I'm brave enough to want to throw your phone out the window, but not stupid enough to try." At this Alex looked up. She sighed and put her phone down.

"Alright, you have my attention. Make it quick because I have to be somewhere at one o'clock."

"Oh? Where you goin'? You gonna go see your blubbering blonde friend?"

Alex blinks a rather long blink and stares at Nicky with  _the_  most unamused expression ever made by a human being. She removes her glasses, folds her arms on her desk then somewhat dramatically places her face in her arms. She's not ready to admit it to herself but Piper's really growing on her and she doesn't really know what to do with those feelings. Especially considering the fact that she can't really act on them yet.

Nicky gets up, walks over to the mini fridge in the office and grabs a bag of mini snickers that was lying on top of it. She walks back over and plops down on the couch like a pile of wet laundry. Alex moves her head enough to see what Nicky got, puts her face back and just extends her arm as she wiggles her fingers. She says something but the sound is muffled by her arms.

"I can't hear you if you talk into your arm cave over there."

Lifting her head, her face a lovely shade of pink, she huffs, "I said, gimme some."

"No way." Alex lifts her eyebrows and gives Nicky an incredulous look.

"Hi, welcome to my office, with my mini fridge, and  _MY_  mini snickers." She says gesturing around the office.

"You said you've gotta be somewhere at one o'clock, right?" Alex nods worried at where this line of questioning will end up.

"Well I know for a fact that you're meeting Piper for lunch and since I am a  _very good friend_ ," by this point Nicky was already on her feet and backing up slowly towards the door, "I'm not gonna let you spoil your appetite. Can you imagine just how shitty that would be for her, if you were to show up for lunch with no desire to eat anything but P-"

Alex grabs her letter opener and cuts her off, "remember how good I am at darts?"

"You're all talk, Vause. You threaten me at least once a day on average. And twice on Sundays."

"Remind me next time to hide those," she says pointing to the bag of candy, "somewhere hobbits can't reach."

"You know what? I was gonna give 'em back, but now I'm eating the whole bag outta spite."

"You'd rather shit yourself than give me back my candy?"

"Sometimes you just have to do certain things on principle."

* * *

Alex walked into Popi just before one o'clock. She was reading something on her phone and paused a bit just after walking in. Polly started to greet whoever just walked in the door with an enthusiastic voice and began to look up. Upon seeing who it was she visibly slouched and frowned.

"Nice to see you too, Holly."

"If you think that bothers me it doesn't. I'll go get Piper." Polly walks into the backroom and stands at the foot of the stairs and calls up, "Piiiperrr, slender man is here to see you.

She removes her hands from her coat pockets and slowly, almost reluctantly, claps and says to Polly as she emerges from the back room, "that was really good, did you think that up all by yourself? I'm truly impressed." A hint of a smile appearing on her face.

"Well I've gotta step up my game since you, Alex of House Snark, are gonna be making regular appearances around here."

"Oh, wow, two in a row. You're on a roll, Holly. Slow down, don't wanna hurt yourself."

"Ok, the store is called Popi. P-o-p-i. Not Hopi. My name is POLLY."

"Right. It's what I said."

Before Polly could say anything Piper came through from the backroom. She was putting on her coat and began talking before even looking up at Alex. "I was thinking, for my office, what about a nice chaise lounge? Something Victorian or oh! Maybe something mid-century modern-ish? Like you'd see on Mad Men, you know?"

"Your obsession with Mad Men was cute at first but now? Not so much."

"I'm not  _obsessed_  with it, Pol. I like the aesthetic. And besides, it's not like your obsession with Days of Our Lives."

"Piper, what part of 'we will never talk about this' did you not understand?" Polly's nostrils flared, she closed her magazine and stomped into the backroom.

"Ready to go?" Alex asked with the remnants of a smile on her face.

They walked out of the store and Alex led them left and down the block. They'd been walking about ten minutes when Piper asked her, "wouldn't it be quicker if we took a cab?"

"No, it's just another ten minutes and we'll be there."

"Your other antiques dealer friend people are in this neighborhood?"

"No," Alex chuckles, "here we are." She opens the door to a restaurant and waits for Piper to walk in, but Piper stood there just looking at the brunette.

"Have you already forgotten what to do with open doors?" She smirks at Piper and almost as if hypnotized the blonde walks in.

"I thought we were going to look at desks?"

"Yeah, but that's later. Bernardo, the guy we're going to see, he's only coming in at five o'clock." She sees the look of confusion on Piper's face and smiles at the blonde, "you owe me lunch, remember?" She then walks away with the hostess as they're shown their table.

Piper just lightly nods her head and follows without saying a word.

* * *

"So," their food had already arrived and they settled into a comfortable conversation, "why antiques?"

"Honestly? People are willing to pay a shit-ton of money for a really old chair and I'm more than willing to take their money." She smiled at Piper's reaction to her transparency. "The money's good, but I really do like antiques. Something about the history behind each individual piece, where's it been, for how long and where it originated, who it was made for and why." She ate a fork full of her fried rice.

"You know, I get it. The whole individuality factor, I get it. It's one of the reasons why I like the soap business."

"Your soaps are hundreds of years old?"

Piper smiles, "nooooo, but we're always changing our line up. Making new scents, eventually repeating old favorites. It keeps things new and fresh. Plus it ensures we keep our image very up and coming or something, I don't remember what it was Polly said."

Alex smiled slightly, "you two have known each other for quite some time."

"Yeah, we met freshman year of college and we've been best friends ever since. We bicker like an old married couple. I want to go out, she wants to stay in. I want Italian, she wants Chinese. Can't live with her, can't live without her type deal really." Alex nodded her head in understanding.

"What about you and Nicky? I feel like you two met on a playground in Pre School."

"Almost. We met in middle school. It was a private school. Her family was well off and me, I wasn't. I got in on a scholarship and met her in my first class on the first day of sixth grade."

"Wow, sixth grade. You two must've made quite a few teachers seriously contemplate quitting their jobs."

"Actually, that did happen."

"No way, you've gotta tell me!"

"It's nothing interesting, trust me."

"I told you my toilet story."

" _One_  of your toilet stories." Piper scrunched up her mouth and flared her nostrils. "Ok, fine, I'll tell you."

* * *

"And then when she realized that Nicky wasn't dead, it was actually just fake blood, and that she was just holding her breath for a  _really_  long time… she fainted." Piper nearly spit out her water. "The worst part though? I got detention right along with her. I wasn't even involved!"

"Well that's not true."

"Ok, I was involved but it was more behind the scenes involvement, I still don't know how they found out."

"Mm, they probably didn't. Just assumed you were somehow involved and saved time by giving you both detention."

"That teacher, Mrs. Gokey, turned in her resignation that week. Proud moment in my middle school career."

* * *

They left the restaurant and Alex turned to Piper, "how about some coffee? In South America a nice shot of strong coffee after lunch is pretty much mandatory." She nudges Piper with her elbow.

"Oh that's just what I need right now." Piper yawned as she answered the question.

"Long night?"

"Sort of, you see, I moved in a while ago but haven't had time to really unpack things and look through all the boxes, decide what stays, what goes."

"So you just packed a whole bunch of stuff you didn't need so that you could unpack it later and throw it away? Sounds a tad bit counter productive, but ok."

Piper gave her a light push, "You make it sound like I don't think. No, I, um, I had to move pretty quickly and didn't really have time to sort through everything."

"Evicted?" the brunette asked jokingly.

"Not exactly, but almost."

"How long have you been living there?"

"I wanna say maybe six, seven months?"

"Well your procrastination-"

"I'm not procrastinating!"

"Sorry,  _lack of time_  has worked in your favor. Now you can design your office around your new desk." Alex smiled genuinely and for a moment Piper couldn't look away. And neither could Alex.

* * *

"Hello, welcome to Java the Hut, what can I get you?"

Alex and Piper found a nice and quirky little coffee shop not too far from where they'd eaten lunch.

"Espresso, please." Alex ordered her drink and turned to Piper waiting for her to order.

"Make that two."

"Ok, that's two expressos. Anything else?"

"Oh, um, it's espresso, without the 'x'."

The guy behind the counter gave her his best 'you have no idea how much I don't care, lady' look. "Right… well anything else?"

"No thank you." Piper said with a sheepish smile.

"No that's all, thanks." Alex placed money on the counter and just turned to Piper with a comfortable smile on her lips. "You really can't help yourself, can you?"

"Like projectile word vomit." She rubs her neck.

"It's actually quite entertaining to watch."

"I'm glad my misery brings a smile to your face."

They're waiting by the pickup area and when their order comes up the same guy looks pointedly at Piper and says, "here's your essspresso."

Piper side-eyes him and drops it. They walk to a table and make themselves comfortable.

"So, tell me, what's the rarest piece you've ever found." Piper asks Alex with curiosity and enthusiasm.

"There was this one dinner table from… Lisbon, yeah. It was one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever seen." She sips her espresso. "The legs had hand carved scenes on them. Every leg a different scene. One of them was-"

Just then the guy that took their order comes up to the table with a cookie on a plate. "Here's your cookie."

"Oh, I didn't order this, I'm sorry." Piper explained.

"It's from the gentleman over there." He pointed back without looking.

Both women looked over and there in the opposite corner of the shop there's a handsome man in his early thirties smiling over at Piper.

"I guess, tell him 'thanks' for me."

"Oh, yeah, there's this too." The guy handed over a napkin with a phone number and the name Greg written above the number and walked away.

Piper looked at the napkin a few seconds longer and looked back over to Greg and raised the cookie and smiled as a way of saying 'thanks'.

"Greg? Really?"

"What's wrong with the name Greg?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all." She says rather sarcastically.

"No, tell me what's wrong with it?" She looks over at Greg again and tries to see whatever it is Alex sees.

"Nothing. It's none of my business anyway." She lightly taps her right thumb and index finger on the table in alternating beats.

"Oh, come on, he looks alright. Nice even."

Alex gives her a look, "Precisely."

Piper looks at her expectantly.

"When you think of someone that you could potentially spend the rest of your life with, are the words 'alright' and 'nice' the first words you want associated with that person? Because like it or not that ends up being your future. Nobody wants just an 'alright' or 'nice' life.

"What's wrong with 'alright' and 'nice'? My ex-boyfriend was both those things."

"Ex-boyfriend, right? I think you just proved my point."

"Hey! Larry was a tad predictable, yes I admit, but he was good to me."

Alex let out a loud laugh. "Larry? What, are you on a quest to date everyone with a painfully boring name? Who's next, Earl?"

"You're being awfully presumptuous."

"Piper, look at him. He screams boring, beige, vanilla, cardboard, plain."

"You know, there's nothing wrong with vanilla. I happen to like vanilla ice cream. It's very-"

Alex cuts her off. "Nice?"

Piper's frustration begins to show.

"Look, all I'm saying is if you had a choice between a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with raspberries and brownies all mixed in" she mimics mixing the brownies in with her hands, "which would you pick?"

"Wait, in this analogy of yours... if Greg is plain vanilla, then who's the other option?"

Alex looks out the window and just shrugs her shoulders. "Whoever you want it to be."

Realization hits Piper like a brick to the face. "Oh my god, it's you." Alex doesn't look at her. "And you're jealous that I was considering calling him."

Alex turns around and her eyebrows are nearly at her hairline. "Jealous. Of Mr. Mayonnaise sandwich over there? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No, that's it you're jealous."

"Of some sad and pathetic guy named fucking Greg? Not likely."

"You don't know him how can you possibly know he's sad or pathetic?"

"I may not know him but one of the things I'm really good at is reading people. And that guy over there is one giant snooze-fest. And you don't belong with someone like that." Her voice becomes softer at the end of her declaration.

"You don't know me enough to be able to state that as a fact."

"Like I said I can read people very well."

"Oh? Well then please do share what you've 'read' about me."

Alex looks at her a second as if deciding whether or not she should travel down this road.

"You have a natural curiosity that's stunted by your need to do what's expected of you. Your WASP-iness definitely shines through that's for sure. But you have something that lies just beneath the surface. Something that wants to get through but you're too scared to let it. There's only two ways for it to come out: you could either let it out or it could break its way through. The final choice is yours."

Piper stares at her long and hard. She's confused by this woman sitting before her. She feels like she's known her for so long, but at the same time she's struggling to see who she really is. She's a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. But perhaps there might be a key to unlocking all of it. All of her. If there was she wanted to find it.

Alex's phone beeped and she checked it. "Looks like that's our cue to head on over to Bernardo's." They got up and gathered their very small mess. Alex couldn't stop staring at the napkin with Greg's number on it.

Piper picks up the napkin but deliberately doesn't put it in her bag. They're right outside the coffee shop when Piper asks her. "Which way?"

"That way." Alex points to their left and says, "we can get a cab in like a block or two." The napkin in Piper's hand seems to be getting bigger with each step they take.

They stop at a corner waiting for the light to change when Piper sneezes her most convincing fake sneeze. She brings the napkin up to her nose and wipes it.

Alex doesn't see Piper's smug look-who's-nervous-now smile as she walks to the trashcan nearby. And Piper doesn't hear the silent 'good riddance, Greg.' that Alex doesn't say out loud.

The light changes and they cross the street and make their way over to Bernardo's store. Both feeling like they've won and both feeling like they now have something to lose.

* * *

Walking out of Bernardo's store Alex turned to Piper and asked her, "what'd you think of those two pieces?"

"Lovely, I really liked them."

"But…"

"But, they're not exactly what I'm looking for really. I think they might be a bad fit for the room."

"Ok, alright. I think I now how to solve your problem."

"How?"

"For me to be able to get a feel of what you want with regards to size, style, functionality I'm gonna need to see your office."

"Oh, but I don't have anything setup yet."

"Not a problem. I can take some measurements and you can show me what you have in mind for that space."

"Ok, yeah, that could work. When do you want to come over?"

"How's Tuesday sound?"

"Tuesday's good, but it'll have to be after six o'clock. Polly's gonna have my head on a platter for being out all day as it is." Piper pretended to carry a platter.

With a smirk Alex responded, "ok seven o'clock on Tuesday then. Oh, yeah, I'm gonna need your number." Piper sort of stared at her for a minute. "…so I can call you for directions on Tuesday?"

"Yes! For that!" Piper couldn't help the tiny bit of disappointment she felt in knowing that the only reason Alex asked for her number was for directions to her house to attend what was technically a business related meetup.

"Alright then, are you gonna give it to me or did you want me to guess?" she said playfully.

Piper recited her number as Alex saved it in her phone. Alex then held her hand out and gestured for Piper to hand over her phone. Within a minute Alex had saved her number in Piper's phone and handed it back. "There, now I won't have to call your store and listen to that hour long greeting."

Piper gave her a small smile, "no, you won't."

The two just stood there for a few more minutes just looking at each other before Alex spoke. "Have a nice weekend, Piper." She turned and made her way down the street.

Piper watched her walk away for a few feet and then turned in the opposite direction and began to walk. Alex looked back at Piper walking away and thought to herself, 'what're you getting yourself into?'


	7. Chapter 7

On Sunday evening Piper’s phone rings. She reaches for it on the couch without looking away from the TV. Assuming it’s Polly she answers without looking, “I love the full frontal nudity all around on this show” and sort of snort-laughs.

“I’m always in favor of more nudity.” Piper nearly dropped her phone and choked on a grape. Hearing the sputtering sounds she says to the blonde, “and to think I haven’t even turned my charm to eleven yet.”

“Alex. Hi. Um, sorry about that I didn’t look at the caller ID and thought it was Polly.”

“So, now you’re insulting me because I made you choke on accident.”

Piper laughed, “no, I just- never mind.”

“So about the full frontal nudity…”

“Oh I was catching up on that show on HBO, you know the one that’s usually on at ten?” Piper ate another grape.

“Yeah, I know which one. How far behind are you?”

“I’m, like, three episodes behind counting the one I’m watching now.”

“Ok, what scene are you on exactly?”

“The guy with all the turtle paraphernalia just knocked on his old lady neighbor’s door.”

“Alright, hang on.” Piper could hear Alex’s soft breathing on the line. “Ok good to go.”

“What are you doing?”

“Oh I pulled up the scene you’re watching now. I’ll follow along with you as you watch.”

“You’ve already scene this though, right?”

“Yeah, but it’s a good show. And as you stated earlier, lots of nudity.” Piper could hear Alex’s smile over the phone.

* * *

 

“You know, when I saw all the turtle decorations in that guy’s house I thought maybe he just really liked turtles.” Piper says sort of shocked.

“Don’t know if you were paying attention or not, but he does like turtles. He likes turtles _a lot._ ”

She lowers her voice to a whisper, “Alex he touched himself to _turtles._ ”

“Why are you whispering? When you whisper that sentence it only makes it worse.”

“A heads up would’ve been nice.”

“There’s a dick slash turtle joke in there somewhere.”

“I don’t want to think about that scene a second longer.”

Alex laughs a full laugh at the disgust and horror in Piper’s voice. “You think you can handle another episode or are you gonna retreat back into your shell?”

“I will never look at a turtle the same way.”

* * *

 

On Monday morning Piper gets a text message.

Alex: I’m thinking of getting a new pair of glasses. Tortoise shell. What do you think?

Piper smiles and responds.

Piper: Ha ha very funny. I was walking by a candy boutique this morning and they had those little chocolate turtles on display. I don’t know if I can eat those anymore.

Alex and Piper exchange text messages all morning and afternoon. Piper walks around the backroom and the front of the store with the dumbest look on her face all day.

“You normally have a weird look as it is, but this one’s different. Does it have anything to do with those text messages you’ve been getting all day?”

“I do _not_ ‘normally have a weird look’ on my face.”

“Yes you do. And as your best friend I’m hurt that you haven’t told me about whoever it is that’s got you giggling like a middle schooler.”

“First of all, not giggling. Second, it’s not what you think.”

“First of all, you don’t know what I’m thinking. Second, what is it then?”

“It’s Alex.”

“Oooh who’s Alex?”

“Polly, you know Alex.”

“Wait you mean Alex-Alex? Tall, annoying, sass monster?”

“Yes, and she’s not annoying. You just don’t know her like I do.”

“Oh? And how _do_ you know her, Piper.”

“Ok, let me stop you right there. We’ve been spending some time together because she’s helping me find a desk. And I can’t just show up to all these different stores by myself, they’re her contacts!”

“So last Thursday when you spent all afternoon out. With her. You were looking at desks?”

“Well, no, not exactly-”

“Mhm, then please, enlighten me, Piper. What were you doing all afternoon with her.” Polly crossed her arms and waited for an answer.

“Ok, well Bernardo wasn’t gonna be in until five so we got Chinese, because I owed her lunch. And then, because it’s customary in South America, we had coffee.”

“Are you going to translate that for me?”

Piper let out an exasperated sigh, “we had lunch, then coffee and waited for her contact, Bernardo, to arrive at his shop so I could see the two desks.”

“You guys ate lunch, grabbed some coffee and then went to look at furniture. Aww, how sweet, I didn’t know you two were newly weds.”

Piper was about to answer when what Polly said registered. Piper looked at her friend in disbelief and quietly walked to the backroom and up the stairs into her office.

Polly called out behind her, “you can try to fool yourself, but you can’t fool me!”

* * *

 

Tuesday morning began just like every other day. Only this morning Piper woke up with a nervous feeling in her entire body. In just about twelve hours Alex was going to be standing in her apartment. Just Alex and her. In her apartment. _At night._ She couldn’t sleep the night before so she decided the best thing to do would be to drink two cups of coffee. Combine that with her already present nerves and Piper looked even more jittery than when she arrived at work.

“Ok, what’s gotten you all worked up? You walked in here this morning looking like an anxious zombie and now you look like an anxious zombie that needs its next fix.”

“I didn’t sleep well last night and decided that too much coffee was the solution.”

“Well, are you still gonna be ok, though?”

“Um, yes? What do you mean?”

“I’m gonna be out this morning and early afternoon remember?”

“Oh! No, I didn’t remember, but yes, I’ll be fine.”

“Ok, I’m off then. Bye!” Polly waved as she left the store.

Piper grabbed her iPad, pulled up her Kindle app, and made herself as comfortable as possible on the stool behind the counter.

* * *

 

A couple of hours later the bell over the door chimed. Piper finished reading the sentence and looked up.

“Hey, remember me?”

“Yes, of course, Lorna, right?”

“Oh you remembered! How nice. Yeah, it’s Lorna. I’m running low on a few things so I figured I’d stop by, pick up some stuff and say hello while I’m at it.”

“Well that’s very thoughtful of you.” Piper smiled genuinely. Just then the bell chimed again and in walked an angry Sylvia having a very heated phone conversation.

“Well that’s just very convenient isn’t it? That you have ‘a work thing’ tonight. I told you I made reservations to this place months ago. I can’t just reschedule them.”

The two women listened in on the one side of the argument they could hear.

“You know what? I’m not gonna cancel them,” she glances at Lorna, “I’m taking Lorna with me.”

“I’ve actually got plans with Nicky tonight.” She says apologetically.

“Wait, this work thing, Nicky isn’t going with you?”

“Nicky doesn’t know _her_? And you’re going to _her_ house? At seven tonight? For work? You’re really pushing it, you know.”

“No, I’m not doubting you, I just find it very irritating the way you constantly pick work over going out with me.”

“Yeah, fine, I’ll just find someone else to go or I’ll cancel. Whatever.” Sylvia hangs up the phone and puts it back in her bag.

“You ok?” Lorna asks as she places a hand on her arm.

“Yeah. It’s just, I feel like I’m losing her, you know? Like no matter what I do, how hard I try, I won’t be able to keep her satisfied and I’m scared. I love her and she barely looks at me anymore.”

Just then Sylvia sees Piper for the first time since she walked in.

“Hi, Sylvia, right?”

“Yeah. Amy?” Sylvia asked not making an actual effort to remember her name.

“It’s, um, Piper actually.”

“Yeah, Piper.” Sylvia turned her attention back to Lorna and they walked around the shop. Being the only customers in there Sylvia decided that she didn’t need to have a conversation in hushed tones with Lorna.

“It’s gonna happen soon. I can feel it. Every time we talk she looks at me and I can see her debate with herself about it and I just _know_ she’s thinking about breaking up with me.”

Lorna just nods along.

“It’s been like this for the past three months or so. She doesn’t call me ever, I’m always calling her. And every time we see each other she looks relieved when we part ways. And that’s another thing! She hasn’t even touched me since before Christmas.”

Lorna looks a little surprised at the information. Sylvia isn’t exactly a close friend.

“She knows how long I’ve wanted to go to this restaurant and now not only is she busy on the very night, even though she knew we had reservations, but the chances of me getting another one this year are slim to none.”

After another twenty minutes Lorna walks up to the counter with an armful of products and smiles at Piper. “I’m getting these for my sister. She’s always talking about how she wants to relax and I told her, I said, these bath salts are a miracle! A little in a hot tub and you’ll forget you aren’t floatin’ on a cloud.”

Piper smiled at the short woman in front of her. “Here, take an extra on the house. Nicky told me you really love these and heaven knows you need something to relax if you’re dealing with Nicky.”

Lorna smiled, “you should come over for dinner some day. I’ll tell Nicky to call you with details, alright?”

The bell chimed and both women saw Sylvia march out of the store and from the window they saw her have a less than pleasant conversation on the phone.

“Between me and you, I’m not sure what Alex sees in her. Don’t get me wrong, she’s real pretty, but there’s no fire, you know? It’s just like when your beer gets real warm and tastes like pee. It’s just not good for you.”

Piper, to her own surprise, nodded in understanding.

“Lord forgive me for even thinkin’ it, but I hope they break up soon. Alex looks so unhappy and Sylvia has been following me around every. where. I’ve known Alex since long before they even met and let me tell you, the Alex you see with her? Total different person than the real Alex. It’s in the eyes. They look sad. Like turtle eyes.”

Piper’s head turned to look at the shorter women so fast she almost got whiplash.

* * *

 

“Ok, um, shit. Uh, my hair.” Piper stumbled into her bathroom and began to try and fix her hair. “Well, you know what? This is just gonna have to do.” She let her hair down and ran her fingers through it. She was staring at her hair and making a face at it when the doorbell rang.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Piper got to the front door and before opening it took a few deep breaths in hopes that it would calm her down a bit.

“I can hear you breathing, I hope you know.”

Piper opened the door. “Hey, sorry about that. I ran to the door and needed to catch my breath.”

“Riiiiight. Here,” Alex hands Piper a brown paper bag with what sounds like bottles inside.

She peeked inside and saw quite a few bottles. “Nice, beer. Oh, is this from that new brewery everyone’s talking about?” Piper says as she reads the label on a bottle.

“Yeah, Nicky’s friends with one of the guys that owns the place and he’s always giving us free beer because we’ve been shipping his product since the start.” Alex grabs a bottle and points with it to the couch, “ok if I sit?”

“Please, go right ahead.” She gets a bottle and settles in the opposite side of the couch from Alex.

“So what do you think?” she shakes the bottle slightly.

“Mm, very good. Full disclosure though, I know nothing about beer, but, yes, very good.”

Alex smiled at what she said. Alex noticed that she’d been doing that a lot more lately, smiling. Whether it was about something Piper said while they were together or several hours later. She just smiled when she thought of Piper. This was normally good news, to be able to meet someone that made you smile just because. But nothing in Alex’s life had ever been simple so why should this be any different. She knowingly made plans with Piper on the same day her girlfriend had made reservations at a restaurant she’s been wanting to go to for ages. But while Sylvia was yelling at her on the phone earlier that day all she could think about was how she couldn’t miss an opportunity to see Piper. Alex finished her beer and planned on drowning her conscience in a few more bottles before the night was over.

* * *

 

Alex was halfway through her third beer while Piper was just finishing her second.

“And it was the weirdest thing because he couldn’t even have any dairy products, but he always smelled like milk.” Alex let out a loud laugh. “I’m serious! Fresh outta the shower and he smelled liked fucking milk. I thought maybe he used some special prescription allergy soap or something, but nope, just regular college guy soap.”

By this time Alex had already taken off her shoes and had her feet on the coffee table. Piper was sitting cross-legged on the couch facing Alex. To a stranger it would seem that they’d known each other for much longer. As if this very scene had happened many times before. Neither of them knowing that secretly the other wished it were true.

“Maybe it’s like garlic where if you eat too much your sweat smells horrible.”

“He was lactose intolerant!”

They looked at each other for exactly a minute before bursting into a fit of laughter that had them both gasping for air.

Fiddling with a bottle cap in between her fingers Alex began talking to Piper. “I used to collect these when I was in high school. I used to super glue them to empty boxes. Not sure why I did it, but I did. I used to sit on the roof of the apartment building we lived in, my mom and me, with a bunch of empty boxes and a shoebox full of these suckers. Nicky was always there. Smoking her cigarettes and giving me a hard time about it.”

Piper smiled over at Alex. She couldn’t help it. Alex had gotten this nostalgic look on her face where Piper was sure that she was taken back to the roof of that apartment building. “Nicky, giving you a hard time about something? Nooo, I can’t imagine that happening.” Piper glanced sideways at her while sipping her beer.

Alex played along. “Oh, of course. Nicky is a serious person who never turns off her manners and is always in business mode. Employee of the month, every month.”

“So it seems you’ve always been interested in _unique_ things. The boxes with the bottle caps and Nicky.”

“I guess so. You know, there are certain people in our lives that are temporary. We know them for a while and then their role in our lives is over. Then there are those people that have a permanent place in our lives. From the moment you meet until the moment one of you dies, you’re there for each other. Through everything. Good friends are very hard to come by and Nicky is the best, although sometimes I just want to sew her mouth shut.”

“I thought super glue was your medium.” Piper joked.

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Piper had never given much thought to that saying about how there’s immediate sexual tension between two people when those two specific sentences are exchanged. Until that very moment.

“Is that a dare?” The brunette finished off her beer.

Piper walked to the kitchen, grabbed two more beers, opened them and came back out to the living room. She silently handed one to Alex and stepped over her legs.

As she sat back down on the couch she began to speak. “You’ve known me long enough by now to know that shutting me up is no easy task. You up for the challenge?” She nudged Alex’s leg with her foot.

Alex looked at Piper’s foot, then looked back up at her. After a few minutes she leaned forward put her beer on the coffee table and sat up. She then leaned over to Piper and got very, _very_ close. She looked at Piper’s lips and then directly in her eyes.

“Has anyone ever told you that if you play with fire, you get burned?” She stayed there a few seconds longer and then stood up. “Mind if I use the bathroom?”

Piper pointed towards the hallway and Alex turned and made her way to the bathroom. As soon as she left Piper downed almost half her beer in an attempt to extinguish whatever Alex just ignited in her. Immediately after doing so she realized how terrible of an idea that was.

She laid back onto her couch and dropped her head back. “I am _so_ very fucked.”

Meanwhile, in the bathroom Alex turned on the tap and let the water run on her hands. She then placed her cold hands on her cheeks and her neck. Alex felt annoyed. Was she annoyed that she almost kissed Piper. That Piper had this hold on her that no one else had ever had? Or was she annoyed that she chickened out and didn’t go through with the kiss? She placed her hands on the counter and dropped her head forward. “I am _so_ very fucked.”

* * *

 

Alex came back from the bathroom and found Piper on the couch with a bag of mini Snickers on her lap. Piper looked up and smiled at her while extending her hand and offering her candy.

“I am just drunk enough not to care if anyone sees me in this state.” She gestures at herself.

“What, you think you’re the only one that sits on their couch with a bag of these at home on a Tuesday night?”

Piper tried unsuccessfully to unwrap the mini candy in her hand. Alex rolled her eyes and reached over taking it from her hand and began unwrapping it.

“You mean to tell me that someone as attractive as you eats tiny,” she uses her index finger and thumb to indicate, directly in front of her left eye, the size of the candy, “tiny candy all by herself at home? Well, actually, you wouldn’t be by yourself. _Sylvia_ ,” she puts on a terrible, terrible Spanish accent, “would feed you candy.” She pretends to feed herself candy in a way that her drunk mind tells her is enticing as she closes her eyes.

Alex decided immediately that half drunk Piper is, so far, her favorite version of Piper. “Sylvia and I don’t live together.”

As Piper opens her eyes she finds Alex staring at her. Alex, once again, gets closer and Piper tries to say something. She really, really does try! She opens her mouth but no words come out. Alex takes the opportunity to pop the unwrapped piece of candy into her mouth and goes back to her end of the couch.

“I hope your Spanish accent is better when you’re sober.” Alex smirks and leans forward to get her beer.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Lunchtime on Friday rolled around and Piper found herself in the showroom to Room 248. She was supposed to meet Alex but had just received a text saying that Alex was held up in a meeting with the worst client and would be late, but she didn't know how late, so she'd call Piper once she was out.

"Well if I don't go out looking for it, trouble just comes to me, I guess." Piper turns around suddenly and sees Nicky with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

"Yeah, well, I was gonna bring ten loaves of bread and jar of pickles with me, but I couldn't carry it all by myself." Piper smiled and Nicky let out a genuine laugh and shakes her head.

"You here for Alex? I think she's still at a meeting with the client from hell."

"Yeah, she just texted me."

"Oh she did? I see." Nicky was all smiles. "Well since she's not coming back anytime soon and you're already here, how 'bout lunch?"

"Yeah, I could go for some food."

"Mexican alright? I'm in the mood for tacos. There's a food truck a couple blocks over."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

 

About forty minutes later Nicky and Piper were seated on a park bench enjoying their lunch.

"You find your desk yet?"

Piper shook her head. "No, not yet. But I kind of expected this to be a bit of a hunt though. Looking for the perfect antique desk isn't gonna be easy by any means. I mean, you know that already."

"Yeah, but it'll all be worth it once you find the piece that fits your space perfectly."

"I thought the whole process of trying to find the perfect piece would be a lot harder and more headache inducing than it is."

"That's because you've got help from the best. Alex is great with this shit. Trust me."

"She really is." Piper looks off into the distance and Nicky sees a comfortable smile settle on her face.

"Oh, I've been meaning to call you. Lorna wants you over for dinner."

"Only Lorna? You don't want me over for dinner Nicky?" Piper puts on the fakest pout ever.

"Only if you're as drunk as you were at the showroom party."

"Well if there's free booze, I might just crash on your couch."

"Good then. How's tonight?"

"Tonight? Yeah, I'm free tonight. I was actually gonna unpack some, but now I have a valid excuse not to."

"Oh, just a heads up, I invited Alex and Sylvia too."

Piper nearly choked on her taco. "Why would I need a heads up?"

"Listen, I'm many, many things, but stupid isn't one of them. You don't have to pretend around me, alright?"

Piper didn't look at Nicky. "Pretend about what?"

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know, tonight is gonna be real fun! Alex, Sylvia and a drunk Piper. I should set up the camera. I might want recorded proof of this later. I can watch if I'm ever having a bad day." Nicky reaches into the white paper bag next to her. "Here, I got you a churro!"

Piper smiled and accepted the sugary treat. "Oh I love these!"

"So, Blondie, how's the soap business?"

"Oh, you know, sometimes things get a little slippery, but it's clean and refreshing for the most part." Piper smiles but keeps her eyes straight ahead. "How's the importing/exporting and antiques business?"

"Oh, you know, I get around but it's basically the same old shit every day."

Piper and Nicky share a smile at each other's joke.

"So, do you want me to bring anything tonight?" Piper said licking doce de leite off of her thumb.

"No, just your sunny disposition will do."

The idea of seeing Alex tonight was great, but the thought that she'd be there with Sylvia just made her not want to go at all.

"Maybe I'll bring an extra bottle of wine. Just in case."

Nicky couldn't wait until tonight. Alex didn't know Piper was going to dinner. Nicky knew that Alex was smitten with Piper and vice versa. She also knew that when Alex was into someone she couldn't just turn off the flirting. And Sylvia, Alex's girlfriend, would be there. Tonight was going to be a very interesting night.

* * *

 

It was just past seven o'clock when Alex knocked on Nicky and Lorna's apartment door.

It didn't take long for the door to be answered and when it was they were greeted by Nicky. "Oh, well, so nice of you to finally join us Alex. It's not like any of us are hungry, you know."

Alex walks past Nicky shoving a paper bag with three bottles of wine in it into Nicky's hands. "Yeah, yeah. How about you quit nagging and just open one of these. I  _really_  need a glass of wine right now." Alex said with big eyes looking right at Nicky and then briefly glancing behind her at Sylvia.

"Hello, Sylvia. Nice to see you." Nicky said without much enthusiasm. Nicky didn't hate Sylvia. There was just something about her, Nicky couldn't put her finger on it, that she didn't like.

"Hello, Nicky. Where's Lorna?"

"In the kitchen, you can go on through."

Alex followed Nicky into the dining area where Nicky kept the liquor cabinet. "Jesus, I nearly got out of the cab and walked the rest of the way here." Nicky handed Alex a shot glass filled to the brim. "Thanks."

"Hey, Nicky! You've got our stuff in the bathroom of your guest room!" Piper called out as she walked down the hallway to the dining area. Nicky and Lorna were remodeling their half bathroom so the only one available to guests was in the guest bedroom.

Alex froze and turned to Nicky. "Yeah, I had lunch with Piper today, you were stuck at that meeting remember? Well, Lorna's been wanting to have her over for dinner and I figured tonight would be perfect. You know, since we're already having you guys over."

Alex continued staring at Nicky. If looks could kill…

"Ok, before you try to throw me from the balcony, just listen."

Alex raises both eyebrows and looks at Nicky expectantly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Alex, hi." Piper comes up to the two women that seem to be having a semi-serious conversation.

Alex turns around, looks at Piper and takes in the site before her. She'd only seen Piper dressed up once before, at the holiday party. And while Piper had looked great then, Alex hadn't felt anything besides physical attraction for Piper at that time. But now? Now it was safe to say that Alex  _really_  liked Piper. And for all she cared Piper could've been wearing a burlap sack and she would've looked great.

"Hey, sorry I couldn't make it this afternoon. I actually only left that meeting about three hours ago." Alex made a face.

"It's ok, Nicky and I went to lunch. She got me a churro. I love churros!"

"I heard." She poured herself a generous glass of wine. It was the only way she was going to get through that night.

* * *

 

"Alex? There you are. Listen, I have to leave." Sylvia fully expected Alex to react to the news she just delivered.

"Ok." Alex turned back to Nicky and continued talking.

"Alex. I'm leaving right now." Sylvia picked up her purse and made her way to the door. "Walk me downstairs?"

"Sylvie, I'm going over some work stuff with Nicky. I really didn't get a chance this afternoon, so I'm sorry, but I can't."

Sylvia couldn't believe what she was hearing, what has actually happening. "Alex. A word. Outside." And she walked out into the hallway.

Alex downed the rest of her wine.

"You ok? If you don't want to go out there you don't have to. I'll go tell her to get lost and never come back." Nicky had HAD it with looking at her friend look miserable when Sylvia was around.

"Thanks, but it's gotta be me. This has been a long time coming and to be perfectly honest I don't care anymore. I'm done, fucking done." Alex puts her wine glass down and steps out of the apartment.

* * *

 

They stand there for a few uncomfortably quiet minutes. Sylvia staring at Alex while she looked anywhere but at her girlfriend's face.

"Alex, look at me." Alex looks over at her. "What. The fuck. Is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?"

"Yes, what's wrong with you. Because I'm gonna need an explanation for why you've been such an asshole the past couple of months."

"I've always been an asshole, you knew that when we started dating."

"You see? I'm trying to have a serious conversation about our relationship right now and you're gonna sit there and act like a teenager about this."

"Look, I'm not trying to start a fight right now. Just… just go wherever you need to go and we'll talk about this later."

"No we're talking about this right now. It's always later, or not right now, or-or some other bullshit you feed me that I usually eat right up, but not this time. I've had it, Alex."

"You really wanna do this right now? In the hallway of Nicky's apartment building?"

"Fuck Nicky."

"No, Sylvia, fuck  _you._ "

"Who is? Because you sure haven't been any help in that department for a while now."

"No, I haven't. And have you ever stopped to think that maybe I'm not the only one at fault here? Because it's hard to stay interested in a person that isn't even remotely interesting."

Sylvia felt as if she'd been slapped in the face.

"Is there someone else?" Alex wouldn't look at her. "There is, isn't there? Is that where you were Tuesday? Where you off fucking some whore, Alex?"

"Ok, first of all I already told you it was a  _business_  related meet up. And second, maybe if you'd give me two fucking minutes of time to myself, I would feel the need to schedule meetings after work hours."

"You did that on purpose and you have the nerve to say you did it because I smother you? Real mature, Alex, real fucking mature. Listen-"

"No, Sylvia, you listen. I can't do this anymore. I won't do this anymore. I don't want to feel like I'm carrying a lead weight every time I see you. I'm done. That's all I have to say."

"That's it, that's all you have to say for yourself? You're 'done', end of story? What about me, Alex. What about what I want?"

"I don't know where you've been the last year almost, but this entire relationship has been about you, about what you want." Alex wasn't pulling any punches anymore.

"Fuck you, Alex."

"Whatever, Sylvia. I told you, I am  _done_."

"This isn't over, Alex, I WILL find out who she is."

"Jesus, Sylvia, you're crazy, you know that? I've already told you. There. Is. No. One. Else."

"Bullshit."

"No, it's not. It's the truth. There's nothing here anymore. There hasn't been for awhile and don't try to tell me this is news to you because you know damn well it's true."

When Sylvia realized that Alex wasn't joking around anymore desperation started to set it. "You know what, I think you're right, let's just talk about this later. I mean, you're obviously tire-"

"No, Sylvia. I'm done. We're over." And with that Alex turned around and walked back into Nicky and Lorna's apartment.

* * *

 

Alex walked back inside the apartment and went directly to where she knew the booze was.

"You ok?"

Alex nodded yes after she downed the shot and made a face as the liquor burned her throat.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I just… can I sit in your guestroom a bit, I haven't had a single minute of peace and quiet today."

"Sure, man, knock yourself out. You can stay over if you want to. We could get drunk and play pictionary again!"

"I'll take a rain check. I'll probably need to sleep in my own bed tonight." She walked down the short hallway and into the guest bedroom.

After about ten minutes Alex heard the toilet flush and then running water. Soon after Piper walked out and saw Alex sitting at the foot of the bed staring at her and jumped.

"Alex, oh god, you startled me." She realized that the brunette wasn't wearing her signature smirk. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, I hear it's pretty common for people to make that face," Piper gestured towards her face, "when they're feeling fine. And besides I'm sure if you ask nicely Sylvia will help put your award winning smile back on your face."

"No, she won't, seeing as I just broke up with her." Alex still had the shot glass in her hand and was studying all the little ridges at its base.

"Oh, Alex, I'm so sorry." She placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her as she sat beside her on the bed.

"Don't be. I wasn't invested in that relationship for a while now. If anything, I feel relieved." She held the shot glass upside down so the opening was on the palm of her left hand and she tapped it on her hand repeatedly, but slowly.

"Oh, well, then I guess that's good news then. I mean, that you're relieved, not feeling too bad?"

Piper was finding it difficult to breathe. Alex just told her that she broke up with Sylvia, that she was officially now unattached, single, a free agent. She felt excited with this news, but why did she feel that way? Yeah, her and Alex had flirted back and forth since the day they met, but did she have feelings for Alex? Yes. Was she ready to admit them fully? Maybe not. Would she be willing to act one those feelings now that she knew that Alex could respond if she should chose to?

Piper's hand that rested on Alex's shoulder moved to her back and she rubbed slightly hoping that it would comfort Alex even though she claimed to feel fine. Piper was about to speak up, but decided against it. Alex had literally just broken up with her girlfriend, to make a move now would be not only be rude, but would be awkward especially since Piper was already feeling nervous since the night began.

"Wait, you were coming out of the bathroom when I got here, why are you here again already?"

"Nervous bladder."

"Nervous bladder, huh? What are you nervous about?"

Piper spoke her mind, but this time she did so on purpose. She looked directly into Alex's eyes and spoke.

"Nothing to be nervous about anymore it seems." Piper confessed.

"Is that so."

"Yep."

"What were you nervous about in the first place?"

"I can't say."

"Why not?"

"It's a secret and if I told you then it wouldn't be a secret anymore."

Alex moved a little closer and whispered in her ear. "Some secrets are meant to be told."

Piper gathered every ounce of willpower she could and began breathing again. The two of them stared at each other for what felt like an hour when Piper suddenly got up and left the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Nicky saw Piper walk out of the guest room and minutes later out came Alex. "Next time just hang a sock on the door and you won't have to worry about anyone walking in on you."

Piper felt like a kid caught with its hand in the cookie jar. "What? No, it wasn't like that."

"What was it like then? Me and Alex were room mates a long time ago and let me tell you, from what I've heard coming from her room, she really seems to know what she's doing."

"I'm sure she does." Piper mumbles, but Nicky hears her.

Nicky pours Piper a glass of wine, pats her on the shoulder and says to her, "don't worry, Blondie, you'll find out soon enough." She winks at her and then walks towards the kitchen just as Alex arrives. "Here" Nicky hands Alex a glass of wine, "drink up, don't worry about going in tomorrow, if anything pops up I'll handle it. You need a day off."

Nicky walked away towards the kitchen to help Lorna finish dinner with a scheming smirk on her face.

 

* * *

 

No one was particularly surprised that dinner was actually fun without Sylvia. As the night came to a close Nicky and Lorna saw the two women out.

"Remember, if I see that ugly mug of yours in that store tomorrow I'll make you pay, Vause." Nicky said to Alex.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it."

They all said their goodbyes and Piper and Alex left. As the two women walked out of the building Alex turned to Piper asking her. "Mind if I walk you home? I kind of need the air right now."

Piper smiles over at her and nods, "Sure."

Piper starts off in the direction of her building. They walked for a few minutes in comfortable silence before Alex asked. "You mentioned having to move in a bit of a rush. Why?"

"My, um, ex-boyfriend-"

"Larry?" Alex smirked remembering their conversation at the coffee shop.

"Yes, Larry. He's a writer and was offered a job in San Diego for some newspaper. He wanted me to move with him and I wasn't about to drop everything, leave my job, my best friend, my  _life_  to move across the country with him. I just wasn't."

"Why not?"

Piper wasn't exactly expecting that question, but couldn't help but answer. Alex had this was of extracting information from her in the most subtle and sly manner possible.

"I'm guessing mostly it was the timing. Popi was getting busier and busier and I couldn't just leave Polly to run things by herself-"

"You couldn't hire anyone to help her? That way you could've eventually opened a branch in San Diego, have two stores."

"That's true. I never even thought of that. But still, I wasn't going with Larry."

"Ah, so you didn't want to move across the country  _with Larry_ , not that you wouldn't necessarily move."

Piper didn't answer right away. "I was doing laundry one day and when I went to put his socks away I found a box with a ring in it. An engagement ring."

"You two were engaged?"

"Almost. You see, I was shocked when I first saw it, but then I was so happy I started to cry. I couldn't tell him I found it though, it would've probably ruined whatever surprise Larry had set up. So I was quiet, I didn't tell anyone, besides Polly."

"Of course you told Holly."

Piper smiled at the name. "After two weeks though there was no sign of him planning anything. No special dinner date, no weird behavior on his part, nothing. That's when I really thought about. Did I really want to marry Larry? Or was I just excited at the idea of marriage? The prospect of having a picture perfect life? It was like… like when you're eating ice cream straight from the container and you look in and see one last spoonful. You're excited you have more, but sad that it's the last spoonful."

Alex nodded and smiled slightly enjoying the way that Piper chose to use an ice cream analogy.

"I soon realized that I was far too concentrated on a nice wedding and a picture perfect life much more than I was on my possible marriage with Larry. So on the last day I had to give him my answer, which he assumed would be yes, I told him I wasn't moving and I broke up with him."

"Two birds one stone."

"Yep, pull the bandage off as quickly as possible to minimize the pain." Piper mimed pulling one off. "That's why I had to move so quickly."

"What about all the boxes?"

"Well, right after I moved business really started to pick up and I just dove headfirst into that. It was a welcomed distraction from what was happening in my personal life at that time. My inability to handle emotional chaos head-on is why I'm still living from boxes mostly. Being alone in there and unpacking those boxes is always a little hard for me. I always start, but can never seem to keep going after about half an hour."

"Don't know if you heard Nicky back there, but I'm banned from work tomorrow. If you want, I can help you unpack. I have nothing else to do and I can reach all the high places without a step-stool mostly." Alex smiled her award-winning you-can't-say-no-to-me-even-if-you-want-to smile.

"That'd be great actually. I'll order take out. You ok with pizza?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll bring the beer."

Together they walked to Piper's building with few words being exchanged. A comfortable silence enveloping them. Both extremely excited about the next day, yet neither wanting it to show. There was definitely something between them and that night it shifted.

They stopped in front of Piper's building and stood there a minute.

"What time should I come over then?"

"Is seven o'clock ok?"

Alex nodded and they both stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes, she played with a piece of Piper's hair, then leaned in and gave Piper a kiss on the cheek.

"Tomorrow at seven." Alex turned and walked away without looking back. Piper watched her walk away until she could no longer see her.

 

* * *

 

At just after seven on Saturday night Alex knocked on Piper's door. When the door was answered Piper smiled at the sight before. Alex was holding another brown paper bag filled with beer.

"I feel like you have a never ending supply of beer at your place."

"If you're lucky, one day, you might just find out." She transfers the bag into Piper's arms and brings her face closer to Piper's in the process and then follows the blonde into the kitchen.

Piper still has the goofiest smile on her face when they reach the kitchen. "They're still cold too." She noticed as she's putting them in her refrigerator.

"Mhm. I don't live too far." She drops that piece of information as casually as she possibly could. "Here." Alex hands over a grocery bag with a pint of vanilla ice cream, a container of raspberries and a container of brownies. "For dessert."

Piper recognizes the ingredients and responds playfully, "what makes you so sure I want all the fixings?" She puts a hand on her hip after she puts the items away.

"Just a guess. But if I were you, I'd give it a try before saying no. You never know, you might develop a taste for it."

With a smile the blonde says to her, "the pizza's on its way. Beer on the couch?"

"Beer on the couch." They sit and start on beer number one.

"How're you doing today?" Piper twists the cap on her bottle and tosses it towards Alex. "For your art project."

With a smile she responds, "thanks." She twists the cap off her own bottle, takes a generous drink, and answers Piper's questions. "I'm doing just fine. Like I said, I'd checked out a while ago. I wasn't happy. I know it makes me sound like a terrible person, but I don't really feel anything. Just normal."

Even though Alex wasn't at work, she still worked from home. And Piper had an unusually busy day at Popi seeing as the holidays were over. Meaning neither of them had had any time to really eat anything. So as they drank their beers on an empty stomach, the quick effect of the alcohol was welcomed as it helped calm their nerves.

"Normal is good. It's better than bad, I guess. I was only asking because," she took another drink, "mm, if you need to talk, I'm here, you know."

"You're the last person I want to discuss my ex-girlfriend with."

"Hey, I'm good listener!"

"I'm sure you are, but I'm still not discussing my ex-girlfriend with you."

"Why not?"

"Honestly? Because while here in your apartment, drinking beer and sitting beside you… my ex is the very last thing I want on my mind."

Half a bottle of beer gone and Piper was feeling braver and looser. "Ok, what do you want to talk about then?"

Alex, to her credit had a higher tolerance, but the beers she brought tonight were a little stronger and she hadn't really eaten anything so she wasn't as in control as she would've liked.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Surprised at the personal nature of the question, but also a little excited, Piper didn't answer at first. "Oh come on, you know more about me than I do about you." She flicked the bottle cap back over.

"No, no I am not." She was at the stage where she was over enunciating in an attempt to not slur her words and sound drunk.

"Lucky me."

"I could say the same thing."

By this time they were both facing each other on the couch and slowly but surely inching closer.

"Why's that?"

"Because you make me feel drunk sometimes when I nidn't neven drink anything." Piper slightly slurred out.

Alex's loud laugh echoed in the living room. "I make you feel drunk? What, like, you can fight everyone in a bar? That kind of drunk?"

"No, the kind where I can't move fast and I want to throw up."

"That's… not what I expected to hear."

"I need another more beer."

"Yeah bring me "another more" beer too, please."

A few minutes later Piper comes back with two beers and two shot glasses.

"Tequila!"

"Right, like either of us need to be more inebriated right now."

"It's Saturday, quit being na spoil sport." Piper put the shot glass as close to Alex's eyeball as it could get without actually getting it wet.

"Ok, fine." Alex downs her shot and looks at Piper. "Well? Don't tell me you're backing out now…" Piper downs her shot and slams the shot glass on the coffee table.

"I'm gonna hate myself tomorrow and I'm just drunk enough not to care about that right now."

Alex smiles. "Why aren't you seeing anyone?"

"Alex, the dating pool in this city is atrocious!" It took her three tries to get the word 'atrocious' out. "I was approached by a man the other day wearing a speedo and a cat."

"Maybe the cat's his pet that's why he was holding it."

"No, he was  _wearing_  the cat. He had it draped around his neck like a scarf. And the cat just was there and didn't move. He wasn't wearing any shoes. It was fifty degrees outside!"

"He can't walk around without any shoes on. That's ridiculous, maybe you didn't see them."

"Are you telling me he was wearing invisible shoes?"

Alex thought about this for a bit but was interrupted when she heard Piper snort.

"What are you laughing about?"

As if she were telling Alex some big embarrassing secret that could ruin the prom queen's reputation she pulled Alex closer, holding onto the collar of her shirt, and whispered in her ear, "his nipples were really hard. Like, they could cut glass."

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe they were both just so tired after such a busy day, maybe it was the familiarity between the two but neither of them could stop laughing at the silliness of everything. Two grown women with jobs and leases in their name were laughing at a nearly naked guy, wearing a cat, with very hard nipples.

As their laughter died down they found each other still in the same position as when Piper pulled Alex over only just a little slumped now. Both with their backs against the couch leaning on their elbows. Their eyes met and they couldn't, no matter how hard they tried (not very hard), look away.

Slowly Alex started leaning in determined not to pull back or play any games. She wanted Piper. Piper wanted her. And now there was nothing stopping either of them from having each other.

When Alex was about six inches away there was a knock on the door. For a moment they were both a little confused, but Alex quickly forgot about the disruption and resumed her journey when suddenly Piper called out, "Pizza!"

"What?" Alex was only slightly annoyed.

"That must be the pizza. I'm so hungry!" Piper was secretly glad for the interruption. She really,  _really_  wanted to kiss Alex but she had two beers and a shot of tequila on an empty stomach and couldn't really trust her body at the moment so food was mandatory.

She got up to go answer the door and Alex sat there a little stunned.

 

* * *

 

"Pizza is so good. It's just bread, cheese, tomato sauce and pepperoni, but it's so good."

"I went through a period of my life where basically the only thing I ate was pizza for about six months."

"How are you even alive?"

Alex shrugged but didn't say what she really wanted to 'it wasn't the worst thing I was putting in my body.' Alex tried not to dwell on certain parts of her past as they only stirred up bad memories and that's not how she wanted this night to go.

"Hey, I have an idea."

They're both sprawled out on either end of the couch with their feet on the coffee table. Alex simply turns her head towards Piper, too tired to really move, and makes a sound that let's Piper know she's listening. "Hmm."

"How abouuut we don't do any unpacking and just sit here and not move? I'm so tired and I just want to marathon a tv show I've seen hundred times so I can be guaranteed some laughs."

"Sounds good to me."

Three hours later and they were six episodes deep into the first season of one of Alex's favorite tv shows. When she found out Piper hadn't seen it she decided for the both of them what they'd be watching.

At a particularly funny scene Piper laughs so hard her body lurches forward and she grabs Alex's knee. She's laughing so hard no sound is coming out and she's silently shaking. Alex, only slightly concerned, sits up and rubs small circles in between her shoulders.

"Breathe. You've gotta breathe, Pipes."

The unexpected nickname sort of brings Piper down from her laugh induced high. She looks over, a smile still comfortably sitting on her face, and sees Alex as if for the first time since the first day she came into the shop.

She looked at her nose and how it was so cute she just wanted to pinch it. She looked at her skin and how it looked so delicate and her hands were naturally drawn to it. She lifted her hand and placed it on Alex's cheek and stroked her cheekbone with her thumb. She looked at her eyes and how they were such an interesting shade of green. As if they only turned bright when around certain people. She looked at the crinkles at the outer edges of Alex's eyes and thought how she found them cute. Born either from a lifetime of laughing or squinting when she didn't have her glasses on. She lightly touched her frames and in response Alex simply arched an eyebrow. Piper smiled at that and continued her appraisal. She looked at her chin with the faintest little crease mark. Then she looked at her lips. At that moment Piper feared that she'd never be able to look away. In fact she wasn't even looking anymore, she was just straight staring. And slowly, as if she'd planned it all along, a thousand watt smile spread across the brunette's lips.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to stare?"

Piper looks back up into her eyes and for a split second she doesn't think. She just feels. She feels the chemistry that floated between them that first day. She felt the butterflies when she said Alex's name for the first time. She felt the heat that spread through her body at the showroom party after Alex played with her hair. She felt the sparks that flew between them the first time they had lunch together. She felt the satisfaction at knowing that Alex was jealous of some sad mope named Greg for buying her a cookie and scribbling his name on a napkin. She felt the disappointment at having Alex not kiss her the last time they were alone in her apartment together. And finally she felt need. The need to finally be able to feel Alex's lips on hers.

Piper closed her eyes for a moment, let out a contented sigh and smiled. She knew what was about to happen and it was as if she was taking her first deep breath in a very long time.

She felt Alex's hands on the back of her neck, pulling her closer. It was a short distance but it felt like there was an ocean between them at that very moment.

And then, finally, she felt them. The softest lips in the entirety of human existence slowly, almost unsurely, met hers and for a second neither of them moved. Both too stunned and relieved that this was actually happening. After a few moments Piper started kissing back. She surprised herself with her own forwardness. She was no longer operating on conscious thought, the only thing in her head now was instinct. She didn't fight it, she couldn't fight it.

Her lips tasted of beer, tequila and something else she couldn't quite describe at the moment as words escaped her. She felt Alex's other hand come up to the other side of her face. She moved her hands into the darkest head of hair she'd ever seen and just grabbed on for dear life. She felt before she heard Alex laugh. A deep yet soft buzzing sensation on her lips.

"Breathe. You've gotta breathe, Pipes."

When Piper opened her eyes she saw the smuggest smile make its way onto the brunette's face. She didn't know whether to be annoyed or to wipe it off by resuming what she was doing. She'd have to wait a few minutes though because she was breathing too hard.

"I should have you help me unpack more often."

 

* * *

 

They spent the next who knows how long on the couch making out like two teenagers at a school dance that could be caught by chaperones at any moment.

After a while they just lounged comfortably on the couch sitting so close to each other they nearly occupied the same space.

Around midnight Alex thought it was best she leave. She was really into Piper and didn't want to rush things or make her feel pressured into anything by hanging around too long after their first kiss.

Piper walked her to the sidewalk outside her building. "Thanks. For your help. You're the best unpacker I've ever met." That stupid smile made its way onto Piper's face again.

"Well, I'm more than happy to help. I really like unpacking and I'm very good at it, but you know that now." Alex's face mirrored Piper's smile.

"Mhm, definitely." Piper tried her hardest not to giggle.

"Hey… "

"Yeah?"

"Have dinner with me." It wasn't a questions because neither of them needed to play coy any longer.

"Ok, when?"

"How's Thursday?"

"Mhm, Thursday's good."

"Ok, I'll see you then. I'll call you with details early on next week." And with that Alex stepped closer to Piper and gave her one last kiss for the night. A kiss that the blonde would be able to feel for the next week.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: IT'S THEIR FIRST DATE! ARE YOU EXCITED?! This chapter was a delight to write (it rhymes!) because it's a sort of a fiction meets reality chapter. PM with any and all questions! Oh and there's a specific part of this chapter (you'll know once you get there) that all the foods I've actually tried. I've actually tried all the food in this chapter except for the dessert.

"Where are we going?"

As promised Alex was at Piper's door at seven o'clock on Thursday night. Both now in the back seat of a cab on their way to their first date and Alex hadn't uttered a single detail about where they were headed.

"I told you it's a surprise."

"Can the surprise be that you tell me where I'm being taken to be surprised?"

"You're one of  _those_."

"One of what? And what's with the tone?"

"One of those people that ruin surprises."

Piper tried her best to give Alex a serious glare but she couldn't help but smile. That smug little smirk that she was most likely born with was seemingly permanent.

"How about the address? Can I at least get a physical address?" Pipers holding her phone.

"You're going to Google where I'm taking you on a date.  _While I'm taking you TO the date._ "

"So that's a no?"

"Never a dull moment with you, kid."

* * *

 

About twenty minutes later they pull up to a park setup with a whole bunch of tents, booths, tables and other attractions.

"Oh, is this a fair? I didn't know the fair was in town."

"It's not  _in town_ , it's sort of a permanent thing. Happens once a week in different parts of the city, always in the same spot on the predetermined day of the week. On Thursdays it's here at this park."

As they walked towards the semi well lit area Piper looked around like she was a kid at Disney World for the first time.

"Oh that smells so good! Wow, I didn't notice how hungry I was until just now."

"Good. See over there? That's what you smell." Alex points over to a tent where there's an older man and woman inside. The man is manning the griddle while dancing to the salsa music playing from his ancient looking radio and the woman is staring at him over her glasses and judging his dance moves. "I figure we can walk around, try a little of everything, how's that sound?"

"Mhm." Piper doesn't know how but she started moving towards their tent. As she approaches the tent she can hear them arguing in Spanish. Piper's Spanish wasn't great but she understood enough to realize their argument was something natural to them and she smiled.

"Your food smells so good!"

With a kind smile and many wrinkles around her eyes the woman thanked her.

"Gracias, honey. What can I get for you?"

Alex shows up beside her and the woman's face lights up. "Hey, Carmen."

"Ai, Alex, you're here! Where have you been? Why don't you come to see me anymore? Are you going to Marisol's place around the corner? Her food is cheaper but there's a reason why…"

Alex chuckled and began to explain, "no, I haven't been going to Marisol's place. I would never trade your food for hers. I've been a bit busy that's all."

Carmen eyes Piper and says under her breath, with a knowing smile, "I can see. What's it gonna be?"

"One Cubano.

"What about your friend? You're not gonna feed your friend?" Carmen places her hands on her hips and waits for an answer, "that's not very polite."

"I'm gonna share it with her, ok. I'm gonna take her on a tour of the fair so that's why I'm not 'feeding my friend.'"

Carmen was satisfied with the answer and sauntered off to her husband to put in the order. "Ernesto, one Cubano for Alex." she indicates with her hand.

The dancing man searches for Alex and then waves animatedly over to her and resumes his dancing.

"You come here a lot. I mean, if they know you by name it means you do."

"I guess you could say that. The food is great and I guess the people aren't that terrible."

"Well I'm glad this is where you decided to 'feed your friend.'" Piper smiles and Ernesto brings over their sandwich.

* * *

 

They made their way over to a booth that at first glance looked empty.

"I think they must've stepped away for a minute. Maybe we should try another and come back?"

"No, she's here." Alex called out, "Chang."

Nothing.

"Chang."

Nothing.

Alex walked in the booth and looked behind the tri fold screen and tapped the person's shoulder. "Chang!"

Chang had her headphones in and didn't hear anything so her reaction upon seeing

Alex looming over her wasn't pleasant. "Ahh!" Chang removed her headphones, "What! I'm busy."

Alex just stared. "Aren't you supposed to be busy with the booth though?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Nevermind. Just came by to get some food."

They made their way to the front. "Ok, what you want?"

"Give me two number 7s and a number 5."

Piper leans over to Alex. "Wait, how did you know what to order? She doesn't have a menu up."

"Yeah, she usually doesn't. First time I came to her booth she told me to pick a number so I did. And that's how it's worked ever since."

"So you don't know what you're ordering when you order it?" Alex shook her head.

"Not a clue. Watch." Alex directed her attention to the woman in the booth. "Hey Chang, what kind of food do you serve here?"

"I serve good food. Pick a number and the food is good." She went back to preparing their order.

Alex turns to Piper with a smile that says 'see what I mean?' and Piper slowly nods not fully understanding what just happened.

"But she's right, though, her food is good."

* * *

 

Alex and Piper approached a tent where the cutest, and smallest, elderly couple were having a very heated argument.

"Alex, maybe we should come back, they look like they're gonna be going for a while longer."

"What, you think they're fighting? Nah, that's how they talk." Alex smiled at Piper's very confused expression. "Hey Jorge, hey Antonia."

The couple immediately stopped and turned to look at Alex. The elderly woman spoke up first, "Alex, my dear, how are you?"

"I'm alright, Antonia. How about you guys?"

"Good, but we missed you. Where have you been?" In his typical, very direct fashion Jorge spoke up.

"Just busy with a few work things is all."

"Work things? I thought you worked with antiques not pretty blondes."

"Jorge!" Antonia lightly smacked his arm.

"Joe saw them at a cafe a couple weeks ago. Said they couldn't look away from each other. Even throwing candy like two children." Jorge laughed and adjusted his glasses.

Piper was blushing. She didn't want anyone's first impression of her to be that she threw candy in a restaurant like a child. "Oh, you know what? I can explain that. You see, she was being mean."

The elderly couple laughed at Piper's attempt to explain her childlike behavior and began moving around the tent. "I made the fish you like."

"I'll take a bowl of that then." Antonia made salted cod, a traditional Portuguese dish, better than anyone else Alex knew.

"You said Joe saw me at the cafe, he should've come over to say hello. He usually does."

Antonia spoke to Alex as she served the food, "he was in a hurry, but he said even if he wasn't he wouldn't have gone over because he didn't want to interrupt anything."

"Interrupt all the candy throwing." Jorge chimed in.

Both Alex and Piper smiled this time.

"Joe's their son. Remember that piece I was telling you about, the dinner table with the hand carved scenes I found in Lisbon? That was for Joe. He gave it to them," she pointed to the elderly couple, "as a gift. Apparently someone in their family made it."

"Oh is that true?!"

"Yes, his great, great grand father made it and carved the scenes into it." She handed Alex the bowl of food and some bread. "There you girls go. Enjoy."

* * *

 

Piper was having such a great night. She knew that in her line of work Alex had to know and stay connected with as many people as she possibly could. She just never imagined that she'd know so many interesting people. And what was the most interesting part so far was how dear Alex was to all of them.

There was Cindy and Tasha who ran the panini booth and who also out of respect for Carmen promised not to serve Cuban sandwiches. They jokingly named a sandwich "Secretary Glasses" after Alex. It turned out the sandwich was a hit so they kept it.

There was Poussey who was the only one in the traveling fair with a liquor license. She showed up one day with a soda bottle filled with a brown liquid and told Alex to try it. She was a little wary at first but eventually downed the shot. When Alex asked what it was and Poussey told her it was 'hooch, just like they make in prison. It's authentic too, 'cause I made it in my toilet." Alex nearly had a heart attack. Her heart started beating again once she saw Poussey was only messing with her.

Piper was finding it hard to contain her excitement about all the new things being presented to her that evening. Never had someone thought of something as fun as this for a first date.

* * *

 

They walked up to a tent that sounded like there was some sort of commotion happening inside.

"Ai, if you two don't stop that I'm not gonna bring either of you two no more. Look at Daya over there. She's so quiet and nice and quiet and efficient and  _quiet_."

"Are you saying we're loud, Aunt Gloria?"

"Maritza, honey, you better pray to God every day and be thankful you're pretty."

"She's still stupid though." Flaca said as nodding her head as she cut up more tomatoes.

"Flaca, why don't you and Daya switch places for a little while, yeah?" Gloria turned back to the front of the tent. Her hands were resting on the table in front of her and her head as far back as it would go. "I swear to God these girls are gonna give me a drinking problem." Alex and Piper walked into view just as she brought her head up.

"Mira, look who finally showed up again." Gloria called out to her nieces and smiled at the two visitors.

Alex chuckled at the fact that she didn't show up for a couple of weeks and everyone was acting like she'd been gone for two years. "I was busy with work."

"Work? Is that your friend here's name?" Piper smiled at the way Gloria was teasing Alex. So far no one seemed to ask about Sylvia and that made Piper wonder if Alex ever even brought her to this fair.

"No, my frie-," Alex took a deep breath, "this is Piper. Piper this is Gloria."

"Hi there Piper." Gloria smiled at her and continued picking on Alex the same way an aunt does with her niece.

In a short while they were sat at a table eating the best fried plantains either of them had ever tasted.

"Alex, oh my  _god_ , Alex." Piper was having a near religious experience with the side dish.

"You know, I thought the first time I'd be hearing you say those words would be under different circumstances." Alex continued eating.

"Well if you play your cards right... you might be hearing it sooner than you think."

The two shared a look filled with promises.

* * *

 

"How do you know so much about the different foods from all these different countries?" Piper asked the brunette as she set the tray of food on their table.

"I've been all over the place. Hunting down antiques isn't as easy as I've made it look."

Piper smiled at her. "Ok, what do we have here?"

"No, I'm not telling you. You agreed to play the game and you can't back out now."

"Oh, come on, Alex! Just a hint then."

"It's food. Here try this first."

"This is what I get for trying to be adventurous." Piper eyed the food on the end of the fork Alex was handing over. She took a deep breath and ate it.

"Oh… that's not so bad. A bit of a strong flavor, but not bad." She chews a little longer, "now can you tell me what it is?"

"Liver," Alex takes her own bite. "Cow liver to be more specific." Piper stops chewing and looks up at Alex and the brunette laughs out loud. "It doesn't count if you spit it out. Wait, you're not gonna be sick are you?"

"No! No, it's just I wasn't expecting it to be that and also I wasn't expecting it to taste good." Piper finishes chewing and shakes her arms out. "Ok, what's next?"

"Here" Piper takes the fork from Alex and tries the next dish.

"Oh, garlic-y! I like it! The texture is different to anything I've ever tasted before though so I can't quite place what it is…"

"Liver," Again Alex takes her own bite of the same food.

"No, it's different, I saw you take it from a different plate."

"Yeah it's liver, chicken liver to be more specific." Alex smiles and her eyes are filled with mischief. "Now you've eaten two kinds of liver."

"I never expected to ever eat, much less like, chicken liver." Piper plays with the plastic fork in her hand. "This is kind of exciting."

"That's cute and almost sad actually. Alright, now this? This right here? This is what separates the women from the girls." Alex holds up her fork.

Piper looks at the food, looks at Alex then looks back at the food. "That's not an eyeball is it? Because I swear Alex if you feed me eyeballs I will…"

Alex can't help but laugh at Piper's feathers getting ruffled. "Relax, Pipes. It's not an eyeball. Last time I checked, Brazilian cuisine didn't include eyeballs."

"Ok then." She takes a breath places her hands flat on the table, closes her eyes and opens her mouth. "I'm ready."

Alex is more than a little amused at Piper expecting to be fed, but she wasn't about to complain or decline the opportunity. Alex feeds Piper the food and waits.

"It's… chewy. Like, very chewy. And the taste is stronger than the liver. Oh my god it's very chewy." Piper still had her eyes closed so she doesn't see Alex rest her chin on her left hand and watch her like she's her favorite movie.

"Wow, I thought I'd never finish eating that. What was it?" Piper said reaching for her caipirinha.

"Chicken heart."

"Ha ha, Alex, no really what was it?" She sips her drink, "oh my god this cocktail is so goooood! Strong, but good. Is there tequila in this?" She takes another sip.

"I'm being serious. You just ate a chicken's heart." And Alex smiles so wide at the look of sheer horror on Piper's face one would think she just inherited a chocolate factory.

"Alex.  _Alex._ " All she can do is laugh at the blonde's barely contained rage. "You're laughing? Alex, I just ate a fucking  _heart._ " Alex laughs harder as Piper's world is rocked.

"Congratulations, Pipes, now you're a woman." She takes some more food and tries to feed her.

"Wait, I'm not falling for that again."

"This is just regular steak, no more internal organs, I promise." She places her hand over her heart, but the smirk never leaves her face.

Piper is hesitant but she trusts Alex. "I'll hold you to that promise." And she takes the food offered to her.

* * *

 

They didn't even come close to trying food from every booth at the fair, but Alex promised to bring her back another time. They walked around holding hands and taking notice of all the different trinkets being sold at the different booths. The fair originally started as a food fair mainly, but slowly turned into a place where you could find food and cultural souvenirs.

They walked into a tent with different scarves on display. She was in there about ten minutes when she noticed Alex wasn't in there. "Alex?" She walked towards the entrance of the tent. "Alex, where are you?"

Just as she exited the tent Alex appeared out of nowhere. "Right here."

Piper smiled and reached for her hand without even noticing. "There you are."

"Come on, let's get dessert."

* * *

 

They walked up to a booth where a woman sat up front with a glass, of what appeared to be water, filled halfway. "Handle it with care, it's food, not your dirty laundry." The woman said dryly to one of her girls in the booth.

"Hey, Red." Alex and Piper walked up to the booth.

Red looks at the pair and slowly a smirk makes its way onto her face. "Alex, hello." Immediately Red's eyes cut to Piper and she has a proper smile on now. "And who is this?"

Alex smiles and looks at Piper, "this is Piper."

"Hello, Piper, nice to meet you." Red takes another sip from her cup, "and how's my daughter?"

"She's fine, giving me a hard time as usual, but she's doing really good."

"Good. And you tell her if she isn't being good I'll make her regret it."

Piper looks a little alarmed and Alex explains to her, "She means Nicky."

"You're Nicky's mother?"

"Maternal figure. But for all intents and purposes, yes, I'm her mother."

"Oh you poor woman." Red stops mid sip and looks at Piper before letting out a short laugh.

"I like this one. She's brave." Red eyes Piper as she sips her drink. "She tilts her glass towards the two women and offers, "vodka?"

"No, thanks, we're actually here for dessert."

"Ah, dessert, I see. You can never resist my vatrushka, can you? I only have two flavors left: pineapple or cream."

"Oh, pineapple definitely for me. I don't even know what those are but they look so good!" Piper nods animatedly.

Red chuckles at the blonde's excitement. "And you?"

"I'll have the same thing." As they're handed their desserts Alex tries to hand Red some money.

"No," she shooes away the brunette's hand, "dessert is on me tonight." Red smiles and sips her vodka. "I'll call Nicky and we'll pick a day for you girls to come over for dinner. And you make sure to bring Blondie over there." She waves as the women leave.

* * *

 

As they work on their desserts they decided to take a walk, hand in hand, on the path in the park. It was a crisp spring night and with the path being so well lit it was only fitting.

"I didn't know you were so popular." Piper takes a bite.

Alex laughs softly, "Ms. Congeniality they call me."

"Hm I'm sure. But really, though, how long have you been coming here? And don't give me some bullshit answer either."

Alex gives Piper a sideways glance. "I don't remember the  _exact_  amount of time, but a while now."

"Long enough for them to think you've been single forever?" Piper had been curious about how for the entire night not one of the people she met asked about Sylvia. And yet, on their first date, here she was meeting everyone.

"I never brought Sylvia to one of these. She wouldn't have liked it and neither would I, with her around." Piper tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a laugh.

"And you thought I'd like it?" Piper stepped in front of Alex and playfully challenged her.

Alex looked at the blonde and wondered if she'd ever get tired of this almost electric feeling between them. She wasn't a fool, she knew that if things were to keep going well between them they would, much like every other couple, leave the honeymoon phase behind and settle into a comfortable relationship. But Alex wasn't sure that this… whatever she was feeling would ever go away. She could honestly say that she'd never felt this, and as strongly, about anyone before Piper. It both excited and worried her. It was wonderful to be free of her ex and to have found someone that makes her feel dizzy and so focused all at the same time. But one thing Alex had a hard time with was relinquishing control. Control was something she'd fought to gain earlier in her life and with great effort she'd won and she'd be damned if she just lost it.

Alex raised her left hand and placed it on Piper's jaw. Then slowly, at an almost agonizingly slow pace, Alex came very close to Piper's lips. Then she moved to the right corner of the blonde's lips, licked the bit of the pineapple filling left behind from her dessert.

"Pineapple was a good choice." And there it was, that smirk again.

Piper's eyelids fluttered open and she saw the look on Alex's face and gave her a playful shove on the shoulder. "That was so mean! I would never do that to-"

Alex interrupted her complaining with a kiss. Slow at first even though Piper responded immediately. There was no need to rush things. They both made a silent agreement to pace themselves right then.

Alex took the lead and slowly pushed the kiss further and further. She softly, teasingly bit Piper's bottom lip. That seemed to ignite something within the blonde as she stepped further into Alex and brought her hands up around the brunette's neck. Alex didn't know what took over her but the blonde was getting very excited. Alex ran her tongue along Piper's lower lip and she let out the most deliciously enticing moan Alex had ever heard. Just as Piper was getting ready to push even further, Alex pulls away.

"Didn't know you got off on extreme PDA, Pipes."

Piper still hadn't opened her eyes and Alex was helping her keep steady. Her breathing was shallow and she was looking at Alex as if she could smack her for doing that.

"You shouldn't start what you can't finish, Alex." Piper said, her voice a timbre lower than usual. And then she walked off back towards the fair as Alex's laugh echoed behind her.

* * *

 

Alex found Piper at a booth chugging from a bottle of water as if she'd just walked across the Sahara.

"Everything alright?"

Piper just looked at her over the water bottle as she stopped chugging. Holding up a finger to indicate she was almost done swallowing the water in her mouth, she screwed the cap back on.

"That was wrong and you know it."

Alex put on her most innocent expression and asked the blonde, "you're gonna sit there and accuse me of something when you're the one that nearly dragged me behind a bush?" finished Alex with a chuckle.

"Ha! You wish!" She extended her hand offering Alex the half empty water bottle. Alex took it but Piper didn't let go.

The brunette pulled her over and whispered in the blonde's ear, "You have no idea."

* * *

 

The pair walked up to Piper's building and stopped.

"I really enjoyed myself tonight."

"Well, that was the plan." Alex smiled.

"I forgot how humble you can be."

"No point in pretending to be something I'm not."

"Well at least you're self aware. And honest."

Alex laughed softly and moved in to kiss her. She looked deeply into Piper's eyes for several moments, just admiring the curiosity and fire behind them. She found herself tucking a piece of hair behind Piper's ear and thought her knees would buckle when Piper smiled as she did that. She knew right then and there that she'd do anything and everything just to see her smile like that again. She placed her right hand on the back of Piper's neck, thumb on her earlobe and slowly leaned in. At first the kiss was soft and sweet. As if she wasn't sure she was allowed to be doing that. She pulled back just enough to tease Piper until the blonde's frustration showed.

"Alex, stop tha-"

She moved back in only this time she was smiling as she kissed the blonde, having expected that reaction. She deepened the kiss almost immediately. Alex was dead set on leaving Piper in a frenzied state. She figured she'd stop before Piper got too worked up. The blonde was anything but amused.

Piper laid her forehead on Alex's shoulder a bit to catch her breath. "One day, Alex. One day I  _will_  get you back."

Alex couldn't help but laugh at the blonde. Face flushed, short of breath and the cutest look on her face that was supposed to come off as threatening. Just then she reached into her pocket. She had something small in her hand.

"Here, this is for you." She placed the small object in the blonde's jacket pocket. "Wait until I leave so you can look at it, alright?" Piper nodded. "Now c'mere. One more for the road."

After a few minutes they managed to stop making out in front of Piper's building. Alex looked at her one more time, gave her a quick peck on the lips and said to her, "goodnight, Piper. I'll call you later." Alex turned and made her way home.

After the brunette was gone from Piper's view she reached into her pocket and grabbed the small object. She pulled her fist out and after counting to five she opened her hand at once.

In the palm of her hand lie a small, hand carved, hand painted, wooden… turtle. Piper laughed to herself all the way up to her apartment. Not once did the smile leave her face. Not even as she placed the tiny trinket by her bedside lamp and stared at it while waiting for sleep to takeover.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N part deux: I don't know why, but every time I write a scene from Alex's POV about Piper (kissing her, looking at her, thinking about her, etc.) We Found Love plays in my head and it's just so appropriate. I just felt like sharing that with you guys, so yeah, now you know.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Right, so this chapter just made me sort of sit back and truly appreciate my close friends. Whether new or old, friends are great and we should cherish them. (now everyone hug and sing the theme song to Barney)

“Hey, you gonna finish that?”

Alex was about to take a bite out of her sandwich but stopped to properly look at her friend. “Our food was literally just brought to our table. I haven’t even started eating yet and you’re asking me if you can have the rest. That’s weird, even for you.”

“I’m hungry alright. Piper,  _your girlfriend_ , has been telling Lorna all about her favorite cleanses. They had lunch last week and she came back with three books. Three, Alex. Three books  _about cleanses._ ”

“She’s not my girlfriend… yet.” Alex took a bite from her sandwich. “I fucking hate cleanses. I mean, what’s wrong with just like adding more fruits and vegetables into your diet? Why are  _you_  doing it?”

“Because Lorna asked me too. I said no at first but then she looked at me with her big brown eyes and at that point she could’ve asked me to eat an old shoe and I would’ve. Happily.”

“Oh, how the mighty fall.”

“You’re one to talk. I’ve seen the way you look at Piper.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I know it’s early still to say you love her, but” Nicky sips her drink, “But I know it’s gonna happen soon. I can feel it in the air.”

“Ok, Phil Collins.”

“Quit trying to derail the conversation. You really like her don’t you?”

“So what if I do? Is there something wrong with that?”

“No. Not at all. I’m happy for you. I’m serious. Look, we both know I was never a member of the Sylvia fan club, ok. But I had only seen you look  _that_  unhappy once before in your life. So please believe me when I tell you that I’m happy for you.”

She looked at the shorter woman suspiciously almost as if she was waiting for some sarcastic comment. “Thanks.”

“So… is she any good in bed? Because I would’ve bet money that she was straight that first time we saw her. And you know straight girls are usually shit in bed, well, at least the ones I’ve been with were.”

“You’re as subtle as a brick to the back.”

“Listen, we’ve known each other for ages. We’ve seen each other through the worst and best of times. Do you really need me to beat around the bush to ask if you two have slept together yet?”

Alex simply stares at her best friend.

“And besides, I know you well enough to already have my answer.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“And neither did your face. You see, Alex, you think you’re slick but the fact that that stupid smug look you usually wear so proudly didn’t cross your face once means I know all I need to know.”

“Are you gonna tell me what you’re talking about or am I gonna have to call Lorna and tell her you’re eating a sandwich.”

“You play dirty you know that?” Nicky takes a rather large bite of her sandwich. “What I’m saying is I can see it written all over your face that you two haven’t had sex yet.”

“So what? Am I supposed to sleep with every woman that crosses my path?”

“Ok no need to get defensive, I was implying that. I’m just saying that I can tell you really like her is all.”

Alex is quiet a moment as Nicky enjoys her sandwich.

“She’s different.”

“Different how?”

“She just is. I can’t explain it, Nicky. You know what she said to me? She told me I make her feel drunk without drinking. That I made her feel dizzy and like she wanted to throw up. At first I didn’t know what to make of that, but now I get it. I understand what she’s talking about. Usually by this point I’d just be going through the motions of dating if it were any other girl, but I want to be present with her.” Alex gives Nicky the other half of her sandwich and the shorter woman all but hugs her.

“Well, ok, let me ask you something: how long you two been dating now?”

“About a month I think. But it feels like it’s been longer.”

“When I called you last week to see if you wanted to get drinks on Friday and you said no, you were with her weren’t you?”

Alex sips her drink and nods her head.

“Ok, one more, Lorna and I are going to Naples in August, two wanna join us?” Without knowing it, Alex was being tested by Nicky. Spring had just arrived and she was asking Alex, of all people, if she wanted to make concrete plans for the end of summer. With Piper.

“Italy?” Alex was a bit surprised.

“No, Florida. They’ve got some nice deals for renting beach houses down there that time of year.” Nicky wiped her mouth. “So… how ‘bout it?”

“Naples doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

“Of course it doesn’t! The sand on the beaches down there is really something else. It looks like fucking cocaine. It’s beautiful.”

“Piper loves the beach.”

“Oh, please. You couldn’t give two shits if she likes the beach. You just wanna watch her run around in a bikini. I’m not blaming you though.” Alex fixes Nicky with  _a look_. “Don’t worry, I won’t stare… too long.”

Alex takes a picture of Nicky with the leftovers of a sandwich on her plate and a beer.

“What the hell is that for?”

“Insurance. Just a few keystrokes away from being sent to Lorna, keep that in mind next time you wanna say something stupid.”

“Alex, it’s me, I say stupid shit all day long. Just admit it, you’re jealous because I made a comment about Piper in a bikini.” Nicky’s the one smirking now.

“You really feel like pushing your luck today?”

“This is fun. I’ve never seen this side of you. It’s cute almost. Like that time in ninth grade when you had a crush on that snotty cheerleader, what was her name?”

“Jessica Wedge”

“That’s right! She was intolerable but she was hot. Still not worth putting up with her personality or lack thereof though.”

“Yeah, I’d rather forget about high school actually.”

“I’m sure you would. But don’t forget  _everything_ you learned in high school.” Alex looks at her waiting for an explanation, “if you don’t seal the deal with Blondie soon, she’ll think you don’t know how.”

“Nicky, I may not have many talents, but  _trust me_  that’s something I’ll never have to worry about. And neither will Piper.” Alex crosses her arm and her signature smug expression returns.

“There she is, there’s my favorite smug asshole!” Nicky hasn’t looked this happy since her sandwich arrived.

* * *

 

“Are you going to your parents house for Easter?”

“Why would I willingly put myself through a whole day with parents? Did my mother tell you to ask me? Don’t tell her you told me! I don’t care if you have to lie through your teeth don’t you dare tell her you told me.” Piper stops waving the box cutter in her hand around.

“Oh my god, Piper, stop waving that around. No, your mom didn’t tell me to ask you anything. I’m serious though, don’t cut up my face. Pete’s parents are gonna be in town for Easter and I’m meeting them.” Polly smiled as she opened another box.

“Meeting his parents?” Piper smiles over at her friend, “you two are getting pretty serious aren’t you.”

Polly nods and she almost can’t contain her happiness. “Yeah, I really, really like him, Piper.”

“Well that’s good I guess. I mean, it’d be awkward if you didn’t.”

Polly gives Piper a playful look. “Oh you’re just so funny. Are you spending it with Alex?”

“I… don’t know. I mean, I haven’t given it much thought to be honest. It’s still a couple of weeks away.”

“Piper, it’s Easter. You’re telling me you don’t know whether or not you and your girlfriend are gonna spend it together?”

“Well, technically she isn’t my girlfriend. We haven’t had that conversation yet.”

“Yet. You said yet. That means you want to be her girlfriend. Which means the sooner you have the conversation the better.”

“I don’t know if Alex is the type to have the ‘where are we’ conversation, especially so soon. I mean, who knows if she even feels the same way? I’m not even sure what it is I feel.”

“Oh please, Piper. You look at her like she’s some sort of ethereal being. It would be cute if it weren’t so annoying.”

“Says the woman who quite literally sighs and gets this dumb look on her face whenever she tells people where her boyfriend is from. Which is quite often, I might add.”

“Everyone keeps asking what part of England he’s from. It’s just annoying and Pete’s such a nice guy he doesn’t correct anyone.”

“So you’ve taken it upon yourself to inform everyone, even people you don’t know on the street?”

“You act like that’s happened more than once, Piper. It was once! And the guy standing on the corner next to us was the one who started the conversation.”

Piper smiles at having successfully ruffled Polly’s feathers.

“You two should go away for the weekend or something.”

“Who? Me and Alex? I don’t know if we’re ready for that yet, Pol. I mean we haven’t even-” Piper stopped mid-sentence and continued to open boxes while Polly stared at her.

“Piper, how many dates have you two been on?”

“I don’t know, like, four maybe five.”

“Is that counting the times you went ‘desk hunting’ with her?”

“No…”

“So let’s add those in, shall we? That makes,” Polly thinks for a minute, “nine, ten. About ten dates. Do you have anything you want to tell me?” She stands with her hands on her hips.

“Congratulations, you can count?”

“Oh shut up. You know what I’m talking about!”

“Ok, fine, no, we haven’t slept together yet.”

“Oh is that why you’ve been so catty lately?”

“Oh, fuck you, ok, Polly.”

Polly laughs at her friend. “No, but seriously though, why? You two spend the entire time you’re together practically undressing each other with your eyes.”

“I feel like such a jerk as it is seeing as how she’d barely broken up with her girlfriend and I was all over her.”

“Didn’t you say her ex was terrible and that Alex didn’t even like her anymore?”

“Yeah”

“Well, I’m having a hard time finding a good enough reason here as to why that’s a problem then.”

“I just don’t want to jump into anything too soon here.”

“Piper, you’ve known her for months and have  _technically_  been on ten dates. I think you past the ‘too soon’ mile marker a while ago.”

Piper doesn’t say anything and stuffs some of the plastic wrap all over the floor into a garbage bag. Polly puts down her box cutter and studies Piper for a minute.

“You like her.” Piper looks up at her friend. “You, like, really, really like her.”

Piper nods. “I really do. And I feel like she’s so much more experienced than I am, I mean I’ve only sort of been with, what, two other women? I’ve never been in a full on relationship with another woman and the last one I was in was with Larry.” Piper scoffs as she says Larry’s name.

“Piper, listen to me and listen closely. I’m your best friend and I’d never lie to you so here’s what I have to say: you like her and she obviously likes you. If you like her enough to see this going anywhere long term, you’ve gotta be able to talk to her about this stuff too. I mean, I’ll always be here to listen, but you two need an open line of communication between you guys always. I’ve seen her look at you, she thinks the sun shines out of your ass, Piper. Talk to her. Tell her how you feel and I’m sure she’ll listen and understand.”

Piper walks over to her friend and hugs her tightly. “When did you grow up and get all mature?”

“After I realized you weren’t.” Polly smiles.

* * *

 

Alex holds the phone to her ear and waits as it rings.

“Hey.” Alex can hear the smile in Piper’s voice.

“Hey.”

“How was your day?”

“Really fucking boring. A shit ton of paperwork and I’ve still got a whole stack waiting for me tomorrow. Yours?”

“We got an extra large shipment today so I spent most of the day slicing open boxes. Great stress therapy actually.”

Alex chuckles and continues, “I’m sure it is. Hey, do you have plans this weekend?”

“No, I don’t think so, why?”

“I was just wondering if you wanted to come over on Saturday night. We could stay in, watch a movie, order take out. It’s been a shit week and I really want to see you.”

Smiling into the phone Piper gives her answer, “yes, of course, what time should I come over?”

“Seven’s fine”

“Should I take anything? Beer? Wine?”

“No, I’ve got plenty of booze here.”

“Then dessert maybe? I could take some ice cream…”

“Actually, I’ve got another idea in mind for dessert.”

Piper freezes and forgets how to speak. “Oh.”

_Yeah, ‘oh’ is right, kid._  Alex simply chuckles into her phone and continues, “Put that in your calendar, don’t want you forgetting about it.”

“Right, ok, I’ll see you on Saturday. At seven. At your place.”

“Saturday at seven.”

Piper hangs up the phone and immediately calls Polly. “Polly. It’s happening. On Saturday. At seven. At her place.”

“What are you talking about, Piper?”

“Alex invited me over to  _her place_  on Saturday night.”

“Ok? Oh.  _Oh._ Oh! We’ve gotta go shopping then. I’ve seen all your lingerie and it just won’t do. We’ve got two days to prepare for this.”

“We? What you’re gonna be there too? I love you, Pol, but I’m not so sure I’m ready to love you like that.”

“Oh you’re just so funny aren’t you? I’ll be at your door tomorrow at 9 am sharp. I’ll text the girls and have them open tomorrow. This is important. My best friend is gonna get laid!”

“Yeah she is!”


	12. Chapter 12

"So, what movie are we watching?" They walked into Alex's  kitchen with the dirty dishes from dinner and the leftovers. "I'm curious as to what kind of movie you would choose."

"It's a documentary, I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all." Piper didn't exactly mind, but she was a tad bit confused as to why Alex chose a documentary.

"You like them?"

"What, documentaries? Yeah, I love them sure. So informative." She tried to maintain a constant flow of positivity. "What's it about?"

"Mold." Alex placed the last container of leftover food in the refrigerator and walked out.

Piper stood rooted to the spot for a minute, thoroughly confused. She could've sworn that tonight would be different. That they'd take it a step further and  _finally_  sleep together.  _Well maybe she was kidding? She does like to fuck with me a good amount. That's probably it, I mean, we surely aren't going to watch a documentary on mold._

Piper's train of thought was interrupted by Alex calling out from the living room. "Pipes? Did you get lost or something?" She chuckled at her own joke.

Piper began walking towards the living room as she explained herself. "Oh! No, I was just admiring your... refrigerator."

"My refrigerator."

"Yeah, the arrangements you've got going on there with the magnets... I like it."

Alex tilts her head to the side a little and is only slightly confused. "Well at least you're not boring." Alex sits back comfortably, smiles and pats the space to her left. "Come on."

Piper is only too happy to plop herself down next to Alex.  _Ok, now let's see what we're really gonna watch._  Piper stares at the tv waiting for her answer.

Alex hits play and the Netflix logo disappears. "I've seen this a couple times before so if you have any questions let me know." 

The blonde automatically thinks it's some cerebral thriller and opens her eyes a little wider in an attempt to pay more attention as the opening notes of the first scene come through the speakers.

The first thing Piper sees is a fruit. An orange to be exact. An orange with a large part of its surface covered in white and green. As the camera pans around the rotten fruit Piper tries to rationalize what's happening.  _Maybe it's one of those excessively artsy films where no one talks and someone is painted purple the whole time. Yeah, maybe this rotten orange represents the Earth? Our society is slowly decaying?_

**_You may think mold is scary but in fact it's quite similar to you and me. Mold is alive! It's a large and taxonomically diverse number of fungal species._ **

The man speaking in the video reminded her of her sixth grade science teacher. He wore khaki pants, a white, short-sleeved, button down shirt with a white lab coat over it. Pocket protector and expressionless face firmly in place.

 _Oh my god we're actually watching a documentary on mold. I thought she was kidding. I don't know to feel about this._  Piper looks over to Alex hoping she sees any sign that Alex is playing some sort of weird joke. 

"Did you know that mushrooms can grow mold too? A fungus growing mold, how crazy is that?" 

"Yeah, so crazy." She'd been so nervous about tonight and it took two bottles of wine and lots of convincing from Polly that she'd be fine. And now she's sitting here on Alex's couch mentally prepared for anything but mold.

"Is this grossing you out? 'Cause if it is, we can watching something else."

Piper perks up at the mention of watching something, anything, else. "Oh?"

"Yeah, there's this really interesting one about plastic. You know, the history, how it's made, who invented or discovered it, that kind of stuff."

 _Plastic. She wants to watch a thing on plastic._  "Ok, sure, let's try that one."

By this point Alex was having a very difficult time keeping it together. She purposely chose two very dull documentaries to watch just to fuck with Piper. She'd stop messing around soon enough, but watching Piper hold her tongue was like watching an animal outside its natural habitat. She wanted to see how long she'd last before she cracked.

"You're gonna love the segment on desktop tape dispensers. Oh, do you want me to fast forward to the part about bottles? You guys use some plastic bottles right?" Alex had to talk or else she'd blow her own cover.

"Yeah, some of them are plastic...." Piper sat back and slowly let out the breath she'd been holding in. Long gone were her plans for the night. As she slowly resigned herself to the fact that she wasn't in fact getting any Alex barked out a laugh so loud she jumped.

"Oh, man. You should've see your face!" Alex couldn't stop laughing.

"My face? You mean... you mean to tell me this is all... you're fucking with me?" Piper's mouth hangs open in disbelief.

"Of course I am, Pipes. Did you really think I had any intention on watching two hours worth of information on fucking mold?"

"You shit. You are a shit, Alex. I thought I was gonna have to sit through  _The Wonderful World of Plastic_." Piper is half annoyed, half relieved. "Do you know what kind of mental preparation I had to go through for tonight?"

Alex looked at her a bit. "Mental preparation, huh? What kind of mental preparation." Alex raised both eyebrows at her.

Piper did go through extensive mental preparation for tonight, but right now all she wanted to do was watch a movie before her nerves got the best of her. "What movie did you actually pick out for us?"

"I thought we could pick something out together."

About twenty minutes later they sat on the couch in the same position having a slight disagreement. 

"I'm not watching that."

"Why not? What's your problem with this movie?"

"If you need a reason, then I'm not the one with the problem."

"Oh, come on, stop being such a teenager about this. It's a cute movie!"

"No, Milo and Otis is a cute movie. This? This is offensive. As a person with a brain, I'm offended that I am the target demographic for this movie."

"FINE, ok, something else then." Piper crosses her arms and huffs as Alex searches for something else. "Can we at least agree on a genre?"

"As long as that genre isn't 'general suckiness', I'm cool." Alex pressed the button on the remote a few more times. "Hey, how about this? You can't go wrong with this one."

"Oh I love this movie! Looks like we've made a decision."

“Ok then _The Breakfast Club_ it is.”

* * *

 

They were well into the movie when Piper spoke. “I just love this movie so much. I was, what, fourteen the first time I watched it.”

“I think I was probably eight.”

“Oh no, my parents would NEVER have let me watching something like this at that age. According to them it was a bad influence. Even when I did watch it, I watched it behind their backs.”

“Oh my god are you serious?”

“Mhm, I was at… Heather’s house. My school friend Heather H.”

“Oh god I had to use a last name initial as a kid too. There was always one other Alex in class. Usually a boy. Usually annoying.”

“Maybe it’s an Alex thing, being annoying.”

“Oh we’ve got a comedian, do we?”

Piper cuddles up closer to Alex and watches the movie for a few minutes. “Fourteen year old me thought this scene right here was the hottest thing ever.”

“Which scene?”

“The one where Claire kisses Bender on the neck. It’s so sensual.”

“You see, I would’ve preferred seeing Claire kiss Allison on the neck.” Piper laughs lightly at Alex’s joke and they continue watching the movie.

A few minutes later Alex still has her left arm around Piper while she runs her fingers through Piper’s hair. She does that for a few minutes, stops, pushes Piper’s hair out of the way and kisses her softly and sensually on her neck. She hears Piper’s sharp intake of breath, but doesn’t feel her exhale so she lingers with her lips just above Piper’s pulse point and when she’s sure the blonde has to either breathe or pass out she goes in for another kiss. Only this time she lightly grazes the tip of her tongue on Piper’s skin. Piper tries to inhale when she’s meant to exhale and ends up choking on apparently nothing. Alex is immediately concerned.

“Are you ok?”

Piper nods vigorously, “yeah. Fine. Super.”

Alex gives her a smirk and Piper doesn’t know whether she should slap her or kiss her. She sits up a little and asks as she plays with a few strands of the blonde’s hair, “are you sure? Because you seem kinda flustered. Do you need some water?”

“You are so infuriating.” Piper leans into her and kisses her deeply trying her best to communicate just how much the brunette infuriates her.

Alex starts to smile during the kiss and moves along Piper’s jaw and then to the spot just beneath her earlobe. Piper lets out a noise the she’s not even sure came from her own mouth. Encouraged by the blonde’s reaction she trails kisses down the side of her neck, lightly tracing her tongue on her neck while doing so.

Piper finds her voice and speaks out, “Alex.”

“Hm?” The vibration of Alex’s voice on Piper’s neck causes her to moan involuntarily. Hearing the blonde’s reaction she chuckles against her skin and continues on her merry way.

Piper’s hand comes up into Alex’s impossibly dark head of hair and holds tight. The brunette reaches Piper’s collarbone and works her way from the outside towards the center and tongues the hollow part in the middle. Not expecting that, the blonde’s grip tightens in her hair and she feels the pain. Alex comes up, face to face with Piper, smiles and says to her, “so… you like it rough, do you?”

Piper’s eyes open and she looks at Alex and her ever-present smirk and rolls her eyes causing the brunette to laugh. She pulls the taller woman toward her and kisses her deeply. “So… goddamn… infuriating.” The blonde states in between kisses.

They continue kissing deeply as Alex’s hand rests on Piper’s waist. She slowly slips it under her shirt still resting it at her waist. She feels this and pulls the brunette even closer. Both getting lost in the moment as Alex slowly brings her hand and rests it on Piper’s breast. The blonde breaks the kiss and lets her head fall back slightly. The brunette takes advantage of her position and makes her way back to the blonde’s neck.

“Alex” the blonde breathes out.

“Hm?”

“Alex” the brunette finds that specific spot on her neck again. “Oh my god Alex look at me.”

“Is everything ok? I mean, it sure sounded like it was.” A smirk.

“Yes, everything was- is top notch. But I need to know where this is going, because if this isn’t leading anywhere I think it’s best if we stopped now before I spontaneously combust.” It spills from her lips as if she can’t hold it in anymore.

Alex looks at her a moment and stands up. Piper deflates a bit at her plans for the night being crushed. Alex scoffs and she looks up, confused. “No way our first time is gonna be on my couch. Not enough wiggle room.”

A slow smile creeps onto the blonde’s face. “Oh. Ok.”

“Come on.” The brunette takes Piper by the hand and leads her down the corridor to her bedroom.

* * *

 

As they walk in Alex heads towards her dresser and turns on a lamp, then walks to a night stand and turns on another. She makes her way back towards Piper and reaches behind the blonde slowly shutting the door. She looks into the blonde’s eyes, smiles and kisses her. “You were saying something about spontaneously combusting...”

“I’m gonna have to find another word because I’m afraid infuriating is becoming overused.”

The brunette smiles briefly and then becomes serious. She kisses Piper deeply and passionately and the blonde responds eagerly. Alex moves to her neck again using the sounds Piper is making as her guide. The rush and thrill of being sexually intimate with someone for the first time taking over both of them.

They break apart, their breathing labored. Alex takes her hands from Piper’s waist and slowly brings them up to the top button of her shirt and waits. She looks at Piper and undoes the first button. She holds Piper’s gaze while she undoes each button painfully slow. Once she’s done she slips her hand between the shirt and Piper’s shoulders and pushes it off and down her arms until she hears it hit the floor, the sound almost in audible.

She plays with one of the blonde’s bra straps and sees her breathing become shallow. Teasing her by holding it between her thumb and index finger, sliding her fingers down close to her breast and coming back up. She stops, lightly traces a finger over the blonde’s breast, still covered by her bra. When he index finger trails over the blonde’s nipple she momentarily loses control lunging at Alex and kissing her almost forcefully.

The brunette laughs and breaks the kiss. “Good things come to those who wait, kid.” She kisses the blonde again and feels her lifting her shirt up. “You’re not very patient are you?”

“Well it’s only fair for you to take something off every time I do.”

Alex finishes taking off her own shirt. “Is the lady satisfied?” Piper’s eyes are _glued_ to Alex’s chest. “Be careful. You wouldn’t want to get drool all over this very,” Alex plays with the straps of Piper’s bra again, “very, sexy little number you’ve got on here.”

Now it’s Piper’s turn to smile because Alex is the one doing all the staring now. “Yes, _now_ the lady is satisfied.”

Alex kisses her once more and reaches behind the blonde undoing her bra as they’re deep in their kiss. She slips the blonde’s bra off, notices her body react to the temperature of the room and smiles. Piper notices why she’s smiling, suddenly self-conscious, and moves to cover herself.

Alex takes her hands and stops her, “no need to be shy.” She moves towards her bed and pulls the blonde along with her, “come on.”

She gently pushes the blonde back onto the bed and sits next to her. She kisses and pulls back admiring the blonde. “Is it cold in here? You feeling a bit… nippy?” Piper gently shoves at her shoulder. The blonde silently appreciates her attempt at breaking the tension and making her less nervous.

Alex begins to kiss her again as she slowly pushes her to lie down. Starting on her southbound journey she pays extra attention to the new spot she’s discovered on Piper’s neck. Eliciting a very positive response she smiles against the blonde’s skin and keeps moving downward, lightly nipping at her collar bone and licking the hollow in between. Piper’s having a hard time lying still. Reaching the blonde’s breasts Alex uses both her hands and covers them, Piper slightly gasping at the contact.

All too soon for Piper’s liking she removes her hands and just as she’s about to protest she feels the brunette’s lips in the space between her breasts. Kissing, licking and moving over to give each of her breasts the same attention. She’s never felt this precise sensation before and she can’t explain what exactly it is she’s feeling.

She’s doing her best to focus on something, anything but she can’t. She feels Alex everywhere. Her hands, her body, her mouth, her tongue which is now teasing her nipple and she can’t help but cry out hearing the brunette laugh as she does. She’s trying to think of how to string words together to form a sentence to be able to say something to her when she feels the brunette’s mouth close around her nipple and she let’s out something close to a painful groan.

After giving the same treatment to the blonde’s other breast the brunette continues downward. Slowly placing searing kisses on the blonde’s stomach as she moves towards her navel, pausing momentarily to trace it with her tongue.

“Fuck, Alex.” The blonde sits up on her elbows with an impatient expression on her face.

Alex slowly moves back up and kisses the blonde. She moves her hands to Alex’s face just as she pulls away. “Patience is a virtue. Now, sit back and enjoy this. If you try to rush me again, I’ll just go slower.” Alex smiles at the look of pain now on Piper’s face.

She resumes her position at the blonde’s navel once again. After having sufficiently teased her she begins to unbutton Piper’s jeans. Trying her _best_ to not rush Alex she lays there, breathing hard and eyes shut incredibly tight.

After successfully removing the blonde’s jeans she looks up and sees Piper’s eyes shut and her hands over them. Enjoying the effect she has on the blonde a little too much she decides to push things a little further. Placing her hands on the blonde’s ankles she slides them up as she moves further up in the bed.

Beginning at the bottom of her navel she traces her tongue all the way down to the waistband of the blonde’s underwear and pulls at them with her teeth a little when she gets there. Piper lets out a sound that can only be described as a yelp and mumbles something. Taking that as a good sign she begins pulling off the blonde’s underwear. She tosses them somewhere behind her. Pushing the blonde’s legs apart to accommodate her, she approaches her destination. She can feel the blonde almost tremble with anticipation. Breathing in her scent her control falters only slightly. Moving up she places a kiss on the blonde’s center and earns herself what can only be described as a growl.

She positions herself again and begins kissing the groove where the blonde’s thigh meets her center. Alternating between kissing and licking she makes her way up one side and down the other fully intending on drawing this out. Piper’s skin is on fire and she can feel it, but that only serves as motivation.

Feeling as if she’s tortured the blonde enough she readies herself for the moment they’ve both been waiting for for far too long. She takes two pillows and nudges at Piper letting her know to lift up and places them underneath her hips. Returning to her position she hugs each thigh with an arm and moves closer.

She senses Piper go completely still. She gets very close and blows her warm breath on Piper and hears the sexiest sound she’s ever heard. In one smooth motion she licks Piper from her entrance all the way up and receives and immediate response from the blonde.

“Oh god you taste so good.”

“Alex, please.”

Determined to take her time, pace herself and fully enjoy this she slowly takes one of the blonde’s lips in her mouth and sucks on it gently feeling smug at how wet she’s made the blonde. Calmly she moves to the other side doing the same, alternating between kissing, sucking, licking. When she feels the blonde is about to literally scream in frustration she enter her with her tongue.

“Fuck” Piper feels Alex enter her and that’s the only word she can come up with. Alex goes at it for a while; she can feel her everywhere it seems. Her head tumbling left and right, almost dizzy even though she’s not moving when she feels Alex reach her clit and her body involuntarily lurches forward. Not hearing, but feeling the brunette laugh with her lips and tongue wrapped around that part of her she can’t help it and her hips buck.

Knowing that she’d receive a more than positive reaction the brunette was ready to hold Piper down. She placed a hand on either side of her hips and went back to the task at hand. She suckled on her clit a moment longer and then paid attention to the rest of Piper’s sex. Moving everywhere kissing, licking, and sucking until the words coming from Piper were incoherent mumbles. She then moves back to the blonde’s clit and lightly grazes her teeth over it earning a scream from Piper.

“Alex, please. I can’t… no more.”

Feeling satisfied at reducing Piper to the mess before her she licks at it a few times and then wraps her tongue and lips around her one last time and sucks on her.

Piper is convinced Alex’s tongue is laced with some sort of hallucinogenic. She feels close to delirium as her muscles tense more than they ever have with the full force of her orgasm.

Alex doesn’t stop until she senses Piper can’t take anymore and begins kissing her way up the blonde’s stomach, placing a kiss on each of her breasts, and wiping her mouth on the back of her left hand at first and then on her palm making sure she got everything. She kisses the blonde deeply and lies down next to her propped up on her elbow, face in hand.

“You made quite a mess.”

Not fully coherent Piper’s eyes are still closed, breathing still shallow. After a few moments she attempts to speak.

“How many tongues do you have?”

Alex lets out a loud and full laugh. “What?”

“I’m serious. It feels like you’ve got more than one or like there’s one but it splits up. Like a Hydra.”

Alex can’t help herself. She falls onto her back barking out a laugh. “I don’t think anyone has _ever_ compared my tongue to that before. You’re creative, I’ll give you that.”

Piper turns over onto her side and smiles at the brunette. “That was amazing.” Piper moves into Alex and goes in for another deep kiss communicating that her desire for the brunette was still very much present. She moves her hand behind the brunette and attempts to undo her bra. After a few seconds Alex laughs against her lips.

“I know how to undo a bra… it’s just I was trying one-handed is all.”

“I’m sure you can, Pipes.” Says the brunette as she sits up, takes off her bra and tosses it on the floor somewhere. As she lies back down Piper sits up smiling.

“Now it’s my turn. Or your turn depending on the way you look at it.”

Moving her left hand down to the brunette’s jeans she undoes the button and the zipper. The brunette lifts her hips and takes the two garments off the same time again discarding them somewhere on the floor. Both of them on their sides move into each other feeling the almost electric feeling at the full body contact.

Pushing the brunette onto her back Piper smiles with an excited glint in her eyes. She kisses Alex and makes quick business of getting to her neck and exploring the brunette’s neck until she finds her weak spot. When she hears a low, throaty moan she knows she doing something right. She makes her way down towards the brunette’s breasts ready to have her own fun.

She looks up at the brunette smiling as if it were picture day. “What are you smiling about?” Alex asks playfully.

“I’ve been waiting for this for some time now.” The blonde says and she descends with an open mouth on the brunette’s breast.

* * *

 

Monday morning Piper practically skips into work. Polly watches her friend glide through the store as if she were a Disney princess singing to woodland creatures and smiles knowing the exact reason for her friend’s actions.

“Well aren’t we in a good mood this morning.”

“Yes I am! I had a very relaxing weekend. Practically didn’t get out of bed yesterday.”

“Didn’t get out of bed, huh? Whose bed? Yours or Alex’s?”

Piper smiles and doesn’t say a word as she walks into the back room.

“Piperrrrr.”

“Yeeeeees?”

“Oh come on, Piper. Tell me!”

Trying her best to put on a straight face, “what do you want to know, Pol?”

Glaring at the blonde the shorter woman crosses her arms, then stares at the fingernails on one of her hands, “if you don’t tell me what happened this weekend, then I’m telling Alex about Spring Break from junior year.”

Piper’s smile disappears, “that’s below the belt. And besides we SWORE AN OATH that you’d never tell anyone about that.”

“Tell me about your weekend and I’ll forget I was even there.”

“Fine, just let me get settled in first.” Polly smiles and goes up front to pick up her coffee. She returns to the back room and helps Piper get ready for the day ahead of them.

Piper hears her phone sound off and reaches for it. She unlocks her screen and sees the pop up on her screen. “Hey, Polly, I’ve been thinking… why don’t we think about some new scents?”

Polly thinks on that a minute and agrees, “yeah I think it’s about time we added a few new ones to our collection. Any particular scent you have in mind?”

“Sort of yeah. I did some thinking this weekend and I know there’s one for sure that I want to add.”

“Oh yeah? What is it?” Polly looks up at her friend and takes a sip of her coffee.

Piper clears her throat and doesn’t meet her friend’s eyes, “marzipan.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys, remember me? As Joey Tribbiani would say: I'm "sorry". The past two weeks have been a hurricane of sorts what with all these responsibilities people expect of me (work, handing in assignments in a timely fashion, laundry, etc.). Also, an idea for another fic has needled its way into my brain and I've been trying SO HARD to not ignore this one and actually finish it. As soon as I do, I might start with this other one. Maybe. If anyone is still reading this thank you for your patience and loyalty!

 

 

As the days passed Alex and Piper grew closer. Closer than each of them ever thought possible.

* * *

 

"No, wait, you can't do that."

"Of course I can, it's a legal move."

"Bullshit, no it's not."

"Do I really need to get out the rule book?"

"That's rich coming from you. And anyway legal or not it's still a dick move."

"You're just sore that I'm about to win."

"I'm not  _sore_ ," Piper begins to get agitated, but calms herself down. "I'm not sore, I'm  _not_. I just think that regardless of the fact that you  _claim_  that it's a legal move, you shouldn't do that to your girlfriend."

Alex laughs, "so what? I'm supposed to just let you win? Sorry, kid, but that's not how I roll. I play to win."

"Alex, I'm serious. You can't do that, pick those cards back up." Piper's eyes get real wide.

"You can't be serious. I refuse to believe you're serious." Piper just crosses her arms and continues to stare, "it's fucking Uno, Piper. It's just a game."

"It's not  _just a game_  when you hit me with four Draw 4's!" Piper's voice gets very high-pitched.

The two are seated on Alex's bed. Alex stares at the blonde with the most amused expression. "Tell you what... you accept defeat, admit that I won, and I'll repay you."

Piper looks up at the brunette and smiles "oh yeah? How do you plan on doing that?"

Alex beckons Piper over with her index finger while smiling mischievously. As Piper reaches her, she lies back onto the pillows and answers the blonde, "I can think of a few ways."

"I like the sound of that." Piper kisses Alex deeply.

Alex breaks the kiss,"but you have to promise not to scream Uno at the top of your lungs." The blonde pretends to be offended and lightly smacks her shoulder just as Alex pulls her back in for another kiss while smiling.

* * *

"Hey, Al, can you get that please? The money's on the table by the door. Thanks!" Piper calls out from her room when she hears the doorbell ring.

A few minutes later Piper walks into the kitchen. "Oh god that smells so good! I'm going to eat my weight in food tonight and then regret it later when I can't move."

Alex smiles and begins opening a bottle of wine that was sitting on the counter.

Piper removes a container from the brown paper bag and opens it. She grabs the second one and opens it too and her smile drops immediately. "Oh no." The blonde whines.

"What's wrong?"

"I asked for one of these without olives but they put them in anyway."

"It's ok, babe." Alex chuckles.

"But you don't like olives! And there's olives in both of them." Piper looks truly upset.

"I'll live. And besides I can just pick them out." Alex shrugs indicating that it wasn't a big deal.

"But you can't pick the taste out."

"As much as I adore that little pout of yours, it really isn't a big deal, Pipes. It won't be the first time this has happened." Alex leans back against the kitchen counter and opens her arms, tilts her head to the side and waits for Piper to come over.

The blonde makes her way over as her pout turns into a smile. "I know, but I just wanted your order to be correct. I checked three times to make sure he wrote down 'no olives' on the order slip. I even had him repeat it back to me."

Knowing full well how specific her girlfriend was about ordering her food Alex couldn't but help smile at this. "In that case he probably put in extra olives just to fuck with you then."

Piper pulls her face away from the brunette's shoulder and her eyes go really wide. "You don't... you don't think they actually did that, do you?"

Alex can practically see the gears turning in the blonde's head.

"That kid, the one who works the front and takes orders, he hates me. I just know it. Ever since that time I asked him if he had gluten free, vegan noodles. Every time I walk into that place I can almost feel him rolling his eyes."

"The scrawny, greasy-haired, jack ass that tries to speak in a deeper voice when you're there?"

"Yeah why does he do that?"

"Uh, because he likes you. Pipes, it's obvious he likes you. And besides he never once got your order wrong. He hangs on every word you say. He's probably off tonight and someone else got the order wrong."

"What makes you so sure? What, do you have crush on him, is that why you're defending him?" Piper laughs at her own joke.

"Oh yeah, you have no idea. His unwashed hair and face really do it for me, Pipes. Gets me all hot."

They both burst out laughing at the mere thought of Alex with a guy.

* * *

"Piper, look at this line. Are you sure you're willing to wait? It's gonna take awhile by the looks of it."

"Of course I'll wait. I love smoothies and besides this place is all Polly ever talks about anymore. I need to see what all the fuss is about."

_(About forty minutes later)_

"Hey, I can't see any signs..." The blonde cranes her neck trying to find a sign.

"What?"

"There aren't any signs that say whether they use organic fruit in their smoothies."

Used to Piper's particularities by now Alex doesn't even blink at her statement. "I'm sure their fruit is very fresh."

"Yes, but is it organic? I need to know. I don't want to ingest all those chemicals. Think of what that could do to my body."

"I'd much prefer to think of what I could do to your body."

"Al, I'm serious. There's this documentary on pesticides that I think you should watch. It really opened my eyes. The stuff that we ingest, I mean really."

"This from the person that wolfed down three Slim Jims, a bag of Cheetos, two hot pockets, six chocolate chip cookies and nearly a liter of ginger ale within thirty minutes just the other day."

"Ginger's good for you." Piper didn't look at Alex.

"Ok, ginger is, but what about Slim Jims? I don't recall ever seeing Randy "Macho Man" Travis as the spokesperson for the 'Organic Movement'" Alex says lifting her eyebrows waiting on a response from Piper.

"You know what? In twenty years when your digestive system is still working properly and you're not dead because of  _rat poison_  you'll thank me." Piper continued to look for a sign.

Alex was trying not to let the surprise show on her face. The blonde had said it so casually she almost didn't notice. Even if she was exaggerating a little, the fact that she'd entertain the thought of being with her twenty years from now really got to Alex. She watched Piper walk away intent on finding out whether or not the fruit was organic. She stood there in line thinking of her future with Piper. Something she'd never done with her previous girlfriends. She thought about what it would be like waking up next to her every day. What it would be like watching her walk in from her run every morning. A huge smile on her face, cheeks flushed and loose strands of hair stuck to her face. She thought about what it would be like to come home from work and find Piper reading an article on some online magazine with an indignant expression on her face at the facts presented to her. She thought about how Piper would find some charity to donate to so she could feel better about the stuff she'd read. She thought about how the little things she most liked about Piper were things that would annoy her in other people. Her train of thought was interrupted when Piper returned.

"Hey, ok, so it turns out their stuff is organic so we have nothing to worry about. What are you smiling about?"

Still smiling the brunette responds as she wraps an arm around Piper's shoulder and kisses her temple, "I'm just real excited about about my organic smoothie."

* * *

"Hey, look at this." Alex says to Piper. They're both lying in Alex's bed each on their respective computers.

"Oh my god that's beautiful!" Piper puts her computer aside.

"Isn't it? It's the oldest, rarest and most expensive antique item in the world."

"Oh wow, look at the detail on it though." Alex clicked through the close up shots available of the item. "I'd love to find a desk like that."

"I've been tracking this thing down for over a year. You don't just find something like this."

"Hold on, is that the price? I thought that was an item number or something. Good god why is it that expensive?"

"This piece is nearly five hundred years old. It's been through hell and back and it's  _still_  standing, look at it." Alex angles her computer so Piper can see it better.

"It would look perfect in my office. All I need is a small fortune to pay for it and it's mine." The blonde deadpans.

"What, that? That's pocket change!" Alex gives Piper her goofiest grin and the blonde can't help but guffaw at her girlfriend.

"Let me see it again." Piper takes a closer look at the desk. The detail is so intricate, so perfect it almost looks painted on. "God and this was all hand carved. I can't even imagine the amount of work that takes. The other day I hand wrote a note to Polly and got annoyed at how long it took. I was complaining all through lunch about how I should've emailed her." The blonde shakes her head and continues to appreciate the antique desk.

Alex studies her girlfriend as she admires the desk and wonders when exactly she became this sentimental mess she's been as of late. "You know, there are a few items listed on that website that might fit what you're looking for."

"Oh is this some super secret antique dealer club website?"

"Yes, actually."

"Well where do I look to find what I want?"

"You're looking for a desk, right?"

"Yeah"

"Do you see the menu on the left?"

"Mhm"

"See where it says 'desk'?"

"...yes"

"Do you really not see where this is going, Pipes?"

"Oh. I just thought, I'd need, like, a code or something."

"I'm an antiques dealer not James Bond."

"Nooo, you're nooot, but I wonder what you'd look like all dressed up as a secret agent. Maybe even wearing a suit." With that Piper puts the computer down and goes to the kitchen. "What something to drink?" She asks at the doorway.

"Yeah, water's fine, please." As soon as Piper leaves Alex books an appointment with a highly recommended tailor.

* * *

"I'm hungry." Alex turns her head toward Piper when she hears the blonde speak up. Both sitting on Piper's couch marathoning a tv show.

"For, like, food?"

"...yeah? What else could I be hungry for?"

Alex raises both eyebrows  _very_  suggestively.

"Oh my god, Alex, I want a snack. Jesus, you have the libido of a teenager!"

"Didn't hear you complaining two days ago. Or yesterday, both times. Or this morning. Or even this afternoon."

Piper didn't say anything and disappeared into the kitchen. She came back a few minutes later with a large sandwich bag in a bowl. She sits in her seat, which is nearly on Alex's lap. Alex looks at her chewing and smiling, but says nothing. The brunette lets herself be pulled in for a kiss. At once she feels the shock in her senses. Piper's mouth is very, very cold. The warmth of her mouth and Piper's cold tongue feels so different that it sets her off.

She hears Piper laughing and breaks the kiss. She looks at the blonde's eyes and sees the mischief behind those blue eyes. "You did this on purpose!"

Piper guffaws. "What, you don't like frozen grapes?" She says as she pops another into her mouth and then one into Alex's.

"Gimme another... I've got an idea."

A half an hour later both women lie on the floor behind the couch naked and out of breath.

"Remind me to  _always_  have frozen grapes around."

Alex laughs, "and for my next trick all I require is a bowl filled with ice cubes."

"Again already? And what could you possibly use the ice cubes for?"

"Oh you're in for quite treat, kid."

"Didn't know you were relying on party tricks now."

"You know what? I was gonna go easy on you, but now? Fuck that. I'm gonna go get those ice cubes while you practice a couple of different ways of how you'll beg me to finish.

"That's a lot of talking, Vause. I wanna see some action!" Piper learned that while she had a temper, Alex was usually as cool as a cucumber. Except for when it came to her sexual prowess. If there was one thing that ground her gears it was having Piper poke fun at her abilities in the bedroom. She always got agitated and felt the need to prove to the blonde, sometimes over and over, that she could in fact handle the task. It was a win/win situation for Piper. She got to see Alex's feathers ruffled and became putty in the brunette's hands as she proved to the blonde how good she really was.

Piper was lying down flat on her back when she heard Alex approach and appear in her line of sight. She was carrying a glass of water and a bowl filled with ice cubes. "Drink up, don't want you passing out due to dehydration."

Piper had never been happier to see ice and water in her entire life.

* * *

"Remind me again how you talked me into getting up this early on a Saturday morning to come to the Farmers Market?" The two sat on a bench drinking their coffee while Alex mentally prepared herself to be surrounded by people, very loud people at that ungodly hour.

"I believe it was series of things I did. Starting with this..." Piper moved the brunette's hair out of the way and kissed Alex on the special spot on her neck that made her shiver.

In an effort to not let the blonde see she had any power over her she spoke, "I thought you weren't one for PDA."

"Well, not usually, but not even the birds are up yet, so."

"Oh god the fucking birds. I forgot they'll soon start with their incessant fucking... bird sounds." Alex began to become irritated at the mere thought of being surrounded by birds, loud birds.

Knowing how Alex had a complicated relationship with birds all Piper could do was laugh. "Oh, come on, Al. Are you saying you're not at all excited about hearing the morning lark squawk in your ears all morning?" She tilted her head and gave Alex her cutest smile.

Alex looked at Piper through her sunglasses and knew for sure that she'd reached a point that anything Piper asked of her she'd do. "Fucking birds. You're buying me clementines." she grumbled.

Piper sat back sipping her coffee and chuckling, "yes I'll buy you clementines. I'll buy you whatever you want."

"In that case we're stopping by that lady with all the different pickled things and you're getting me okra and peppers."

"You'll eat okra, but you won't eat olives. I'm not gonna pretend to understand." Piper was very aware that Alex hated waking up early and mornings in general. Especially when the event planned for the morning meant being surrounded by very loud and fast moving people. "Come on, let's go. The quicker we get everything, the quicker we leave and-"

"And the quicker I can get back to bed. I intend on sleeping until my sheets and my skin have melded. And I want the a/c on so low a light layer of frost forms throughout the room."

Piper smiles and links her arm through Alex's and they make their way over to the Farmer's Market.

* * *

"What are you doing on Labor Day weekend?" The brunette asks as they stand in her kitchen fixing themselves lunch.

"Well usually Polly and I go to the Hamptons, but this year Polly is going somewhere with Pete, so I'm gonna probably just spend it at home on my couch. Why?"

"Nicky and Lorna are going to Naples and wanted to know if we wanted to go with them."

"Italy?"

"No, Florida. They've got some great deals for beach house rentals around this time of year."

"Oooh that sounds like something I'd definitely be into, I love the beach!"

"Good, because we leave the Friday before Labor Day."

"What? You had this planned before I even said I'd go?" Piper looks at Alex in disbelief.

"Only because I knew you'd say yes." She walks over to the blonde, who has her arms crossed and a displeased look on her face. She kisses the blonde on her nose.

"Alex, I'm trying to be mad at you for planning this without asking me, stop it." Piper fights a smile.

"And I'm trying to speed up the process so we can make up. You know how much I love making up." The brunette gives the blonde her best up-to-no-good grin.

Piper drops the act. "A beach house, huh?" she pushes up the sleeve on Alex's t-shirt and traces her rose tattoo. "For how long are we staying?"

"About a week." Alex stares at Piper and the blonde briefly looks away from the tattoo into her girlfriend's eyes.

"A week. I swear I'm not wearing anything but a bathing suit for that whole week. Maybe a sun dress, but no pants." Piper continues tracing her tattoo knowing  _exactly_  what she was doing to Alex. "What do you think of that? Of me wearing nothing but my bikini for an entire week." She finally pulls her eyes away from the tattoo and Alex's pupils are as dilated as she's ever seen them.

Silently Alex pulls Piper toward her bedroom. "What about lunch?"

"Food can wait, I can't."

* * *

"Is this what the rest of the trip is gonna be like? You're just gonna stare at her the whole time?" Nicky takes a sip of her cocktail.

"Need I remind you what you were like during the first six months of your relationship with Lorna? Because if you wanna do this we can."

"Oh please. I was never as bad as you. You've got little cartoon hearts in your eyes practically."

"Yeah well at least I wasn't obligated to set a special ringtone for Piper."

"Hey! I was  _obligated_. It's just that she wanted me to know when she was calling so I wouldn't miss her calls."

Alex smiled at the memory of one time where Nicky nearly threw her phone out of the window because the song was grating on her nerves. "You know, I kind of miss it. Every time your phone rang I could almost see struggling not to smash it to bits."

"I still can't hear that song without feeling tense." Nicky pours more vodka into her glass when Alex looks at her. "I'm on fucking vacation so spare me the looks."

Alex only smiles. "I'll shut up about that if you promise to do the same."

Nicky studies her friend while she stares at the blonde sitting outside on the patio with Lorna. "You love her."

Alex looks down. She inhales deeply and looks over at her friend as she exhales. No words need to be exchanged. Nicky knows her well enough to have the confirmation she needs. There's no point in Alex denying it because if anyone in this life knows her, it's Nicky. Alex gets up, goes to the kitchen to get another beer and comes back.

"You haven't told her yet have you?"

Alex takes a long drink and then shakes her head.

"But you're going to, right?"

The brunette shrugs.

"Hey, look at me." Alex looks at Nicky. "Fuck you, Alex. Fuck you."

"What's that for?"

"Because the Alex I know? She's not a fucking chicken. She does what she wants and says what she feels. She doesn't pussy out of things because she's fucking afraid." Nicky gets up and heads for the sliding glass door. "I'm going for a walk. You need to get your priorities in order if you ever plan on having even a shred of happiness in your life. Because I know you deserve it, but I don't think you know you do." And with that Nicky closed the door and left. She wasn't really upset at her best friend but she didn't need to know that. She just needed a little push in the right direction so she'd be motivated to make the decision she knew was right, but was too afraid to make.

Alex sat in the same spot without moving for several minutes. She loves Piper. She  _loves_  Piper. And it scares her to death.


	14. Chapter 14

"Hold still."

"I'm trying to but you're tickling my feet."

Piper looks up upon hearing this new piece of very important information and Alex reads every single ounce of playfulness in the blonde's eyes. Alex is ticklish.

She gives the blonde her most serious look, "Piper, I swear to god you better not get any ideas. Not a single one."

"I'll behave, I promise." She does her best to keep a straight face. "I'll finish this coat and then you let it dry before we do the second coat or else it'll look weird." As she finished applying the first coat of nail polish to Alex's big toe she lightly blew on it as she not-so-subtly gives the sole of Alex's foot a feather light touch.

Alex looks at Piper directly, "if at any moment it sounded like I was joking about the tickling, let me assure you, I wasn't." Piper continues lightly touching the brunette's foot.

" _Piper…_  I'm serious. The last time someone did that I accidentally kicked them in the face and broke their nose."

"Yeah, but I know you're not gonna kick me." Piper wiggles her nose as if she's Samantha Stephens herself. "You'd never dream of breaking this nose", she says and she touches it with her left index finger.

Alex begins to lift off of the pillows on Piper's bed when she feels a sore muscle in her back. "Fuck, I knew I'd paid for it sooner or later."

"Pay for what?"

"I helped lift a box that I shouldn't have and now by back muscles are making me pay for it."

"Oh, well, I've got just the thing for that." Piper gives her a smile and walks into her bathroom. As she's looking in the cabinet under the sink she calls out to Alex, "I actually made this a couple of weeks ago, but I was waiting," she walks back into her room, looks up from the bottle and smiles at Alex, "for the perfect moment to use it."

"What is that?" the brunette slowly lies back onto the pillows.

"Massage oil."

"Massage oil. You  _made_  massage oil?"

"I didn't  _make_  the oil, I just… added the scents and things."

"And things?"

"It's organic, which means it's also edible, so it's flavored too."

"You made scented and edible massage oil." Alex nods her head in approval.

"Alex, it's just massage oil."

"Yes, but it's also edible. Why would you think of making a massage oil edible without certain intentions behind it."

Piper didn't answer her. "Just… take your shirt of and lie on your stomach."

"Custom made, edible massage oil  _and_  assertive behavior. I've gotta say, I'm liking this side of you."

Alex gets up off the bed and strips down and gets as naked as the day she was born. Piper gives her a look.

"Nothing you haven't seen before and besides I don't wanna get oil all over my clothes."

"Ok then let me just grab you a towel-"

"A towel for what?"

"…so you can cover yourself?"

Alex laughs loudly at that as she gets back in bed and lies on her stomach. "Not necessary, Pipes."

"Fine. But this time you really do have to hold still. I mean it."

"Whatever you say, kid." Alex inhales deeply and lets it out while she closes her eyes, ready to get rid of the ache that's been bothering her for days now.

Piper climbs onto the bed and kneels beside her girlfriend. "Ok, where are you feeling most of the pain?"

"Mostly in my lower back although I've been holding a lot of tension in my shoulders too." Alex says as she removes her glasses and hands them to Piper so she can put them on the nightstand. "Also, when did you become a masseuse?"

"I'm not licensed or anything, but I've watched over sixty hours of footage on YouTube." Piper says confidently.

"Right. Just don't fuck up my back, ok?"

"I won't. At least I think I won't." The blonde adds as an after thought.

Piper grabs the bottle off of the nightstand and opens it. She then places it against the brunettes shoulder so she can move her hair out of the way.

"What's that smell?"

"What, the oil?"

"Yeah, I know that smell." Alex sniffs towards the bottle.

"Oh it's just a smell I like. Nothing in particular."

"Is it a combination of something? 'Cause it smells pretty good."

"No, nope. Just one scent. Helps keep the focus on the massage."

"What is it?"

"It's just a smell, Alex, it's not really important."

"Why don't you wanna tell me the smell?"

"I don't  _not_  want to tell you. I just don't think it matters."

"Piper, what scent is that?"

"It's a dessert smell."

Alex turns over, looks at Piper and raises her eyebrows.

"Ok, fine. I'll tell you." Piper looks away and breathes in. "Marzipan."

"Marzipan! I knew I recognized it. Why marzipan though?"

"Just… fond memories. Now turn back around so I can help work out the knots in your back." Alex turns around and settles in.

Piper grabs the bottle and slowly lets the oil drip out onto Alex's back. First on her lower back, just a few drops here and there. She's about to place the bottle back on the nightstand when she gets an idea. Piper lets the oil drip onto Alex's shoulders. She leaves a trail down her spine and makes her way back up coating the brunette's back with enough oil so that it drips down her sides.

Alex feels the oil spill over. She feels it on her stomach, on her neck and on her breasts. She doesn't say anything, just smiles and catches on rather quickly to what her girlfriend is up to.

"Ok, I'm gonna start. Let me know how the pressure is, ok?"

Alex simply makes a noise to let her know she understood.

Piper puts two drops of oil onto her left hand and puts the bottle aside. She rubs the oil into both hands and slowly does the same on Alex's back. She moves her hands down to the brunette's lower back and begins putting pressure on it with her fingertips.

"Is this alright?"

"Mhm."

She moves her hands on the brunette's back in opposite directions in a circular motion. Slowly she adds slightly more pressure while shuffling a little closer to Alex's body.

"Still ok?"

"Oh yeah, very ok."

Piper continues her work, her legs now in direct contact with Alex's torso.

"Shit."

"What?"

"I got oil on my clothes."

"Should've followed my lead."

"Hang on."

Piper gets off the bed and takes of her shirt and shorts, tossing them towards her designated dirty clothes corner. She climbs back onto her bed in only her underwear and resumes the massage.

"What, I don't get a naked massage?"

Piper doesn't respond. "If you don't sit still, you're getting no massage at all." Alex just smiles as she lies her head back down.

Piper continues slowly massaging Alex's lower back while ever so slowly running the heel of her hand up her spine, stopping half way up, with slight pressure. As Piper is concentrated on the task at hand, Alex lets out the most enticing moan. Piper stops mid-massage and just stares at the back of the brunette's head for a few seconds.

"No, don't stop." She whispers.

That's all it takes for Piper to switch from innocent massage to something a little more adult.

She grabs the oil again and starts dripping a generous amount on Alex's ass. The brunette feels it and only smiles, prepared for whatever her girlfriend has in mind. It pours down the sides and right down her ass into her center, adding to the moisture that's already begun to collect. Piper begins to massage her ass.

"Is this alright?"

"A little more pressure. Yeah, just like that."

Piper takes her hands and massages the brunette's waist. "You know, they say massages can cure just about any muscle related injury." Again applying pressure on her lower back. "Even headaches. Our muscles sometimes get overworked and we don't even notice." She moves down to her ass, palming and applying pressure with her fingertips. "We often feel aches and pains that are warning signs to something more serious, but we often ignore those signs because the pain isn't severe enough." Just as she's about to massage another area, Piper quickly and lightly runs her index finger up Alex's slit.

After a sharp intake of breath the brunette lets out a low and raspy chuckle. "Is that right? Massages are good for all that?"

"Mhm," Piper grabs the bottle again and changes her position. Climbing off the bed she walks around to the foot of the bed and slightly nudges Alex's legs apart. She begins dripping oil on her legs as she continues to speak. "There are certain areas where if you massage, the person being massaged can be relieved of all pain and tension."

"Oh yeah? Tell me more about that."

Piper starts massaging Alex's feet. "Well, your feet for example, there's certain pressure points where if I hit them, I can help get rid of your headache." Switching from one foot to the other. "And your ankles? Same thing. Your Achilles tendon can get very stiff if you don't wear the proper footwear- which you don't- and if you over work it –which you do.

"I've got a few other pressure points I'd like you to take care of also."

Piper smiles and moves up to her calves. "I'm sure you do. You know, if you don't wear the proper footwear you could be putting extra pressure on your calves and knees." She drags her knuckles with slight pressure up and down the brunette's calves receiving only a moan as a response.

With nothing but the worst intentions Piper makes her way up to Alex's thighs. "And if left untreated, these injuries could become permanent and you could be limited to the amount and kinds of activities you're permitted to participate in." She grabs a thigh in each hand and applies pressure. Starting on the outside she massages inward with her fingertips, going higher and higher each time. She goes as high as she could possibly go without giving Alex the touch she craved.

She moved toward the brunette's back and heard a very clear complaint from the brunette. "Is everything ok?" She knew Alex wouldn't admit it, she knew that Alex liked to be in control and she wasn't at the moment. Having Alex at her mercy was better than she could've imagined.

"Everything's just swell." She mumbled not bothering to hide her displeasure.

Piper continued massaging Alex's lower back making sure her back pain was actually taken care of. After a minute she kept one hand massaging her back while the other went back to her inner thigh. Piper massaged her thigh and lightly grazed Alex's center. Piper swears she  _purred_.

The blonde lets the brunette know she wants her to flip over. Alex turns, "finally." And she moves towards Piper.

"Nuh uh." Piper puts one finger on her chest and pushes her back. "I told you to hold still and I meant it. You're not allowed to move 'til I say so. If you do, I'll stop." Piper could practically see Alex's eyes flash with desire and excitement.

Alex smiles and slowly lies back. "Two can play this game. Just remember that."

Piper returns her smile and grabs the bottle of oil. At an almost agonizingly slow pace she lets the oil fall around Alex's breasts, drop by drop.

Alex watches. She watches as Piper looks her right in the eyes and purposely does all this to her.

Piper places the bottle leaning against Alex's side. She takes her hands and one behind the other, palms flat against the brunette's chest she slides them in between her breasts, up her shoulders and to her neck. Slowly she removes her hands from the brunette's neck and places them on either side as she leans down to whisper something in her ear. As she does, their breasts come into contact and Alex let's out an almost pained hiss.

"Does that feel alright? Is the pressure ok?" Piper hovers over the brunette's face. Alex tries to kiss her, but she pulls away. "I meant what I said. No moving."

Alex can barely keep it together at this point. Struggling against every touch that's slowly and purposely ignited a fire within her. Piper sits back up and continues her massage. She spreads the oil with her fingertips on the base of Alex's breasts, slowly working her way up. Alex's breathing is getting shallow. She massages each one individually, giving each of them the deserved attention.

Just when Alex thinks she's about to cave, Piper stops. The brunette's eyes are closed at this point and she tries to take deeps breaths to regain control over her body. Then she feels it, a drop of oil lands very closely to her nipple. Her eyes shoot open and Piper is looking at her with a look she knows very well.

"Piper…"

"Yeah?"

" _Piper…_ "

"Yeeesss?"

Piper continues with the oil, this time not missing her mark. A drop of oil lands right on the brunette's nipple and she nearly chokes. Piper then rubs the oil in. Nothing in the room has changed since the start of the massage, and Alex doesn't know what's happening but suddenly the oil feels like fire on her skin. Piper puts some oil onto the tip of her index finger and while not breaking eye contact puts her finger in Alex's mouth.

"How's that taste?"

Alex doesn't say a word. She can't. If she does, she just may lose what little control she has left.

"Is it good?" Alex nods. "Hmm. Let me see."

Piper lets oil drip onto Alex's other nipple and brings her mouth down over it. Alex begins to move her hand, but decides not to give the blonde any reason to stop.

A few minutes later the blonde brings her head up slightly, "you were right. It _is_  good." And with one last lick of the brunette's nipple, causing her to arch her back, Piper sits back up. She grabs the oil and slowly makes a trail of oil droplets down the middle of Alex's torso, stopping at her navel. Beginning just under the brunette's breasts, the blonde begins to massage, moving down ever so slowly every so often.

When Piper reaches her navel she dips her oil covered finger in, removes it and traces the opening a few times. She looks up and sees that Alex is watching her intently, not even bothering to blink anymore. Her breathing is shallow and she's almost trembling. She smiles rather smugly at bringing Alex to this point, something she's never been able to do before.

Motivated by her girlfriend's reaction the blonde once again grabs the bottle and begins dripping more. Starting just below the navel she makes a trail downward. Purposely making sure she goes as slow as possible. After each drop she draws a line from the previous one connecting the two.

"Everything ok, Al? Want me to stop? You look kind of tired."

Unable to speak or do anything else besides shake her head, Alex holds Piper's gaze and gives her answer.

"Ok, just checking." Piper's devilish smile and behavior are new to Alex, but she hopes to seem them again soon and a lot more often. Alex closes her eyes a minute and tries to concentrate on something, anything else, to help her. She thinks about the smell of the oil. And how it's so decadent. How it's such an uncommon treat and used in making such beautiful works of food-related art. It's not as common as chocolate or as easily accessible as ice cream. No, for this treat you had to know how to make it properly, something you put time and effort into. She thought about what that meant, why Piper chose that specific scent to add to the oil. She then felt something that ripped her from her almost dreamlike state. Her body lifted slightly off the bed and her eyes flew open only to see Piper staring straight at her, eyes bluer than the ocean on a clear summer day.

She looks at Piper's hand and where she's dripping the oil and feels it run slowly down her slit. Every so often Piper will let a drop or two land right on her clit.

"Piper, for fuck's sake."

"What's wrong?"

Alex nearly growls at her and she has to try hard not to laugh at the brunette's tenuous grasp on her own self-control.  _It must be taking her every ounce of concentration she has not to just flip me over right now._  She sets the bottle aside and resumes her massage.

Starting at the brunette's hips she brings her hands in and onto the top of her thighs, deliberately avoiding where Alex wants her most.

"You seem very tense, Al. More so than when I started. What's the matter?" Piper's tone is playful, but Alex isn't really in the mood for games at this point.

No answer.

She continues the massage, moving towards the brunette's inner thighs, pressing her fingertips in with slight pressure and stopping short once again.

A sharp intake of breath and Piper decides she'll reward Alex for playing along.

Piper moves her hands to Alex's groin, running her thumbs up and down. Letting them slightly dip into her girlfriend's folds, stopping short of her most sensitive spot.

When Alex thought she wouldn't be able to handle anymore, about ready to end this ridiculous game, she felt Piper's tongue. One broad lick right up her slit, from her entrance to her clit. She let out a sound Piper had never heard her make before, which only spurred her on. Piper had never seen Alex so wet before. She felt a certain amount of pride in her accomplishment and continued lapping at her girlfriend's arousal. Occasionally sucking at her lips, dipping her tongue in her entrance, touching the tip of her tongue ever so lightly on Alex's clit. She felt the brunette's hand on the back of her head as she got really,  _really_ into it.

"Mmm, oh my god, Al. You taste… amazing."

"Fuck, Piper." Alex let's out breathlessly.

Piper continues her slow torture. When she feels that Alex is close to the edge, she stops. When Alex doesn't feel her for more than five seconds, she opens her eyes, and asks, not bothering to hide her anger.

"What the fuck, Piper?! I wasn't finished."

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought you were. Did you want me to continue?"

"Piper, I swear to  _god_  you  _will_  pay for this. For all of this."

Smiling and almost giddy at the promise Piper lowers her mouth over the brunette's clit but doesn't make contact. She lightly blows on it. Changing the pressure of her breath every few seconds. Slowly the very tip of her tongue makes contact. Piper teases Alex mercilessly for another minute before taking pity on her. She sucks on the brunette's most sensitive spot until all she can do is swear at Piper.

Alex's grip tightens on Piper's hair and the blonde knows she's about to climax. She increases the pressure and continues with her tongue. Within seconds Alex pulls on Piper's hair so forcefully the blonde winces in pain, but doesn't stop.

She calls out her girlfriend's name as she comes, " _Piper_." The blonde still doesn't stop. Alex can't hold still anymore. "Fuck, Piper," she holds Alex down with her left hand and enters her with her right index and middle fingers. Suckling at the brunette's clit as she pumps in and out of her, she can feel the muscles in Alex's abdomen tighten under her other hand. She knows that she's about to climax again. " _PIPER. FUCK ME._ " Piper continues a few more seconds until Alex gently tugs on her hair.

With her left hand next to the brunette's hip, she raises herself up and watches Alex regain her composure. When she opens her eyes and looks directly into Piper's eyes, the blonde takes her two fingers and puts them in her mouth, licking them clean. She then wipes her mouth on the inside of the same forearm. Alex watches this silently, almost ready to go another round already at the mere sight of the gesture.

"I just did."

"What?" Alex responds still slightly out of breath.

"You told me to fuck you… I just did." And since she's feeling cheeky she gives Alex her signature thousand watt smile.

Alex just throws her head back further into the pillow and laughs a full and loud laugh. "You're something else, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, when they made me they broke the mould."

After a few seconds of rest Alex speaks up, "ok. Ok, now it's  _my turn._ " She points to Piper's underwear, "take it off." And Piper does so with a smile.

Alex quickly pins Piper down and says, "hope you're ready for this."

She lays the full length of her body onto Piper's and the feeling causes the blonde to sigh in what can only be described as relief. She'd been working Alex over for the better part of an hour and had, as a result, gotten herself worked up also. Alex, of course, knew this and planned to take advantage of the fact.

Alex began to kiss her deeply, not wasting any time. Moving the kisses down to her neck, her shoulders, between her breasts, giving each breast her undivided attention.

"Where's the oil?"

Breath shallow Piper responds, "nightstand."

Alex grabs the bottle and pours a few drops on her girlfriend's abdomen and begins to properly torture her.

After what feels like hours, but really only ten minutes, Piper begins to shamelessly beg. "Alex, please, I get it. Just-," Alex gives her clit a firm but very swift flick with her tongue, " _fuck_  Alex. I get it, I do. But please,  _please…_  hurry the fuck up."

Letting out a throaty and very mischievous chuckle, Alex begins to pay back the blonde for the past hour.

After Piper's sixth orgasm, her voice was hoarse and her throat raw from screaming.

"Your neighbors are gonna think I'm trying to murder you."

"What a way to go though."

Alex leans over and begins to kiss her. After a few seconds she deepens the kiss and her hand travels down to Piper's center. As expected the blonde was more than ready for her and Alex entered her as slowly as she possibly could.

"God, I fucking hate it when you do that."

Alex knew what she meant, but decided to have some fun, "when I do what? This?" She moved her fingers deeper into the blonde and put her thumb on the blonde's clit.

Alex smiled when she felt Piper arch off the bed. "Is that what you meant? Or did you mean this?" Alex slightly increased the pressure with her thumb and watched as Piper could no longer produce anymore sound, but her lips still moved.

Slowly Alex moved down her body, her hand never stopping. Pausing at her breasts, her navel, and finally arriving where she needed to be. Before she could replace her thumb with her tongue, Piper began to nearly growl.

Alex looks up, intrigued at this new occurrence. "Everything ok there?" No answer.

Alex kept her hand going and just watched Piper for a few minutes. She decided that if she could, she'd do this all day, every day. Pleasuring Piper was her new favorite hobby.

Suddenly Piper let out an almost primal growl and simultaneously Alex felt a sudden wetness all over her hand and forearm. Thoroughly surprised, but not stopping Alex just kept watching Piper. The blonde fell back, panting, completely unaware of anything else at the moment. Alex eases her hand to a stop and waits for Piper to look at her.

When she finally does the brunette speaks up, "I knew I was good, but I didn't know I was  _that_  good."

Piper looks away and covers her eyes with the backs of her hands. "Shut up."

Alex laughs openly and is not ready to drop what just happened. "Maybe I should write a tutorial, you know."

" _Alex_ …"

"I'm serious, Pipes, not everyone can do that. I could sell it as an e-book."

"Alex. Shut. Up."

The brunette's face hovers over Piper's and she kisses her. "About this? Never."

* * *

 

"You two are gonna make me lose my lunch if you don't stop it."

Nicky sat across from Alex and Piper as the three had lunch. The two women having lunch was a regular occurrence, with each of their friends joining them occasionally.

"You're just saying that because Lorna's away for the week and you're feeling lonely." Piper teases Nicky while absently rubbing Alex's thigh. The brunette responds by kissing her on the cheek and wrapping her arm around the blonde.

"I'm not  _lonely_. Do I miss her? Of course. Am I happy she's getting some much needed downtime with her sister? Absolutely. But me? Lonely? No, I don't think so." Nicky stirs the ice in her drink with the straw. "Besides, I've got like ten documentaries in my Netflix instant queue."

"Are any of them about mold? Or plastic?" Piper asks.

Alex laughs out loud recalling the night she's referring to.

"What the fuck are you talkin' about?"

Alex excuses herself to go to the restroom as Piper answers Nicky. "Oh, um, Alex played some stupid prank on me once. She put on a documentary about mold and then when she noticed I wasn't into it she put on one about plastic."

"How is that a prank?"

"Well, it wasn't really matching the tone of the night, you know?"

"Matching the tone? Wait, this was that night you two first had sex, wasn't it?"

Piper looks at Nicky for a second, "how do you know that?"

"Uh, because Alex told me."

"She  _told_  you?"

"Well, not out right, but it was written all over her face."

"Ok, but  _does_  she ever talk about me, about…. us?"

"Yeah, she said you're a squirter." Nicky took a sip of her drink.

"What? She actually said that? No, that's not- Never- Ok. One time. Only once. And neither of us was expecting it. It sorta just….. happened."

Piper looked at Nicky's face and she swore she'd never seen Nicky look so over joyed.

"I was kidding, but it's good to know that!"

Piper froze. And when Alex returned to the table she was still wearing the same horrified expression.

"Are you ok?"

"Oh, she's fine. Maybe she just needs to go to the restroom and, uh, you know, throw some water on her face. A little splash, a spritz, a squirt."

At this Piper looks directly at Nicky's smiling face.

Alex, thoroughly confused, replies, "…..ok. Do you wanna go before we leave?"

"Yeah, fire hose, you should go before we leave. Traffic at this hour is hell and you don't know how long it'll be before we get back to the store."

In an attempt to get away from Nicky, Piper decides it's best she goes to the restroom. As she's walking away Nicky calls out, "Oh, yeah, don't get the counters all wet. You know how those faucets are, if you handle 'em too much they'll spray all over you."

Piper freezes, not turning around. She hangs her head and quickly makes her way to the ladies room.

"What was that all about?" the brunette asks.

"What do you mean?"

"All the water talk."

"I'm just concerned for my friend's well being is all. Is that so wrong? For me to care if  _your_  girlfriend looks a little pale?"

"Right, ok. You're not gonna tell me. Don't worry, I'll get it out of Piper."

"Oh, my friend, I'm sure you will."


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: OK BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING. I CAN EXPLAIN. I was supposed to post this LAST NIGHT, BUT! my internet went kaput (my wifi hates me) just as I made my way on over here. So this is why it's a day late.

"Piperrrrrr…" Polly waves her hand in front of the blonde's face trying to get her attention.

"I'm sorry, Pol. I'm a little distracted today."

"I noticed. What's wrong?"

Piper turns to her friend, worry evident on her face, "do you remember that position I applied for? The one working for that theater company I really like. The one in Paris."

"Yes"

"I got it. The position is mine. They accepted my application."

"That's great news, Piper! Wait, why do you look so gloomy? I though you wanted this?"

"I did, I do. But Polly I applied for that position just over a year ago. Months before I even  _met_  Alex."

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm sure if you look around you can find something like that around here-" Polly looks up and sees Piper's expression. "Oh my god, Piper, you're thinking of taking this position aren't you?"

"I don't know, Polly, I don't know. It's my dream job, what I've wanted for a while. At least it's what I thought I wanted. And then I met Alex and all I wanted was Alex. And now this shows up and I honestly don't know what to do."

"How long ago did you get the letter?"

"A week ago."

"Is that why you've been acting all strange? I just thought you had a fight with Alex or something. Give me the letter."

Piper rummages through her purse to get the letter, "how did you know I'd have it on me."

"I'm your best friend, I'm supposed to know these things about you."

Piper hands her the letter and watches as Polly reads it through.

"Piper," Polly looks up wide-eyed, "you have one week to respond to this."

"I know and I've already had it for a week and I can't come to a decision. I haven't eaten hardly anything in two days because I'm too nervous. I can barely sleep anymore. I need you to help me make a decision."

"No, sorry, but that's something I can't do."

"Polly…" Piper whines and drops her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry, but I really can't! This is entirely your decision and I'm not willing to hold any responsibility in this."

Piper knows she's right but still isn't willing to stop convincing her to help.

"What does Alex have to say about all this?"

Piper looks away.

"Piper…. Tell me you've showed Alex this letter. Tell me you're not hiding this from her."

"I'm not  _hiding_  it from her, I just haven't, you know, showed her the letter."

"I think you need to tell her about this and it needs to be done soon. You two have been seeing each other for the better part of a year and as much as she annoys the hell out of me, it's unfair to her if you don't show her this."

"It's everything I've ever wanted, Pol. Two years working for a theater company. In  _Paris_. I could finally start properly building my resumé."

"Well it looks like you've just made a decision."

"But I don't want to leave Alex. I don't even want to  _think_  about that. I've never felt this way about anyone. Never has anyone driven me this crazy before. Never has another person… ignited these feelings in me before. And I don't mean just sexually, Pol, I'm talking about everything. Everything is Alex now and I… I don't want that to change. I mean, I can't ask her to uproot her life and come with me and I can't ask her to wait for me. I want Paris and I want her."

"But you can't have both."

"But I can't have both."

"I think at this point your best course of action would be to sit her down and tell her everything. Be as open and as honest as possible. I don't know Alex very well, but I know you and I also know that you'll avoid this as long as possible and torture yourself. Sit, talk and say all this to her.

"It's not that easy."

"You're telling me you don't share things with her?"

"No, I do, but this… this is big, Polly. I'm not just going away to my parent's house for the weekend. I'm going to Paris for two years. Long distance relationships don't always work. You remember Michelle from college, remember her boyfriend went to UCLA?"

"Oh yeah, I remember, how could I forget? It was like a soap opera with those two."

"That's what I mean! And they ended up breaking up and it was anything but pretty. And I don't want that to happen to me and Alex. That can't happen."

"Well you're both adults so if things end then-"

"No, Polly, they  _can't_  end. I- She's…" Piper closes her eyes and hangs her head in defeat.

Polly studies her friend for a moment. "Piper. Piper, look at me, honey. I'm going to ask you a question, but you don't have to answer me. Ok?" Piper nods. "Do you love her? Do you love Alex? Because if you do… I know an opportunity like this one doesn't come along every day, but neither does true love. I'm not going to tell you what to choose, but I will say this: people don't write songs, poems, and novels about jobs they didn't take.

"So you're saying I should stay and choose Alex?"

"I'm not telling you what to choose, what I'm trying to get you to think about is which one of these can you live without. When you lie in bed at night which one of these will you be regretting not choosing? Which one of these options will bring you more happiness and fulfillment in life? Again, I'm not telling you which to choose, but it's very telling that you're in this nervous state about the mere idea of not having Alex in your life anymore."

"Polly. You're not helping me, like, at all."

"You're my best friend, Piper, but not even I can make this decision for you."

"I know, I know, but I can't make it either."

"Well you're gonna have to and soon too."

"I know it's selfish, but I want both."

"Well we're humans, we're all selfish to some extent."

Piper popped her fifth antacid of the morning and tried to go back to work.

* * *

"How's Lorna? I feel like I haven't see her in forever."

"Yeah, she's good. Been real busy at work though with this one wedding she's planning. Something about the bride being a total lunatic. I think she wants her bridesmaids to wear electric lime green."

"Oh my god, why on Earth would anyone genuinely want that? Was she joking?"

"No, that's the worse part. The bride emailed her a photo of the dress. I was in the bedroom and I hear a scream so I run out to see what the fuck was happening. And I see her staring at her computer with the most horrified expression on her face. I asked what was wrong and she just turns it around to show me the picture of the dress."

"How bad was it?"

"I nearly shit twice and died*. It looks like a fucking highlighter exploded on the dress. It hurt to look at. Literally, it was too fucking bright."

"You know, Fred and Ethel have nothing on you two."

"I guess that makes you and Blondie, Ricky and Lucy then?"

"Except that she can speak Spanish and I can't."

"Didn't you live in Miami before? How do you not speak Spanish?"

"What do you mean 'didn't I live in Miami'? You were my roommate."

"Oh yeah, that's right. In my defense, I was high all the fucking time. And so were you."

"I told Piper. About that. About the drugs."

"Oh yeah? How'd that go?"

"She was shocked at first, but I was shocked at how well she took it."

"So now everything's out in the open, huh? You two shackin' up anytime soon?"

"I'm not gonna lie and say I haven't thought about it. I've thought about it, a lot actually. I've been wanting to talk to her about it, but…"

"But?"

"She's been acting weird this past week."

"Piper? Acting weird? No way!" Nicky says, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Alex smiles at her friend poking fun at Piper and her peculiarities. "Yes, believe it or not. She's been avoiding me, I think. I haven't seen her all week. I was gonna have lunch with her today, but she said she couldn't get away from work."

"Is that why I'm here with you now? I remember a time when I wasn't your second choice. This hurts"

"I'm serious, she's been making excuses all week not to see me and keeps all phone calls as short as possible."

"Maybe she's sick of your shit." Nicky says as she pops a French fry into her mouth and smiles.

When she doesn't get any snarky response back from Alex she switches gears.

"Hey, Alex, I was only kidding. Piper is so into you it physically makes me sick sometimes."

Alex looks at Nicky briefly then out the window.

"Is this why you like sitting by the window? So you can look away moodily when I ask you questions?"

Alex cracks a smile. "Remind me again why I keep you around?"

"Because in every friendship there needs to be a 'hot one' so…"

Alex is still smiling but her eyes are filled with worry. "I still haven't told her yet."

"Told her what? That you're head over heels for her?"

Laughing through her nose Alex responds, "yeah, that."

"You know what I love about you? Your ability to down play important things like they're nothing. You're telling me that you haven't told your girlfriend that you're in love with her yet and you're talking about it as if you're gonna tell her you got veneers. Like it's no big deal."

"I feel like if I think about this any longer I'm gonna go fucking insane."

"Hey, look at me. Ok, let's think this through logically. Your feelings for her are fucking with your head."

"Yeah tell me about it."

"You said she's acting weird, right? Ok, well have you said anything that might cause someone like Piper to act even weirder than she already does?"

"No, I haven't said anything out of the ordinary."

"Ok, you said this behavior started about a week ago, right?"

Alex nods.

"And before that she was normal, relatively speaking, right?"

"Yeah, everything was fine. And then last Monday I didn't hear from her all day. Not a phone call, a text, an email, nothing. Same on Tuesday. And whenever I asked her if she was coming over to my place or if we were meeting at her place she would come up with some half-assed excuse about bringing work home. Which was bullshit and anyone could tell."

"You wanna know what I think? I think you should sit her down and tell her all of this."

Alex begins to get annoyed, "Nicky…"

"No, I'm serious! Sit down and talk to her. How else are either of you gonna know what's going on with each other if you don't  _talk to each other._ "

Nicky had a point. The only person that could properly tell her what was going on with Piper is, well, Piper.

"I guess that underneath all that hair there's a brain after all."

"Fuck you very much, Vause." Nicky stuffs two more French fries in her mouth.

* * *

As Alex and Nicky walk into the brunette's office after lunch her phone rings.

"It's Piper."

"I'll catch you later then." Nicky turns around immediately exiting her office and closing her door.

"Hey"

"Hi Alex"

"Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, I haven't heard from you in a week, so I figured I'd ask."

"Yeah, about that… I'm sorry, Al. I really am. So much has been going on lately and I guess it just took me a while to get things under control."

"I understand, but I want you to know that if you need anything you can come to me. Whatever it is, don't feel like you can't count on me, alright?"

"Of course, right yes. I, um, wanted to talk to you actually. Do you think you can come over tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, sure. Wanna order in or something?"

"Yeah, whatever you want, my treat."

"Alright see you tomorrow night then."

As the brunette hung up she stared at her phone. Somehow that phone call didn't do much to ease her nerves.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this?! Only one week between updates? Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?
> 
> Through some miracle I've managed to find time today to write and update. I don't know which one of you cast this productivity spell on me, but thank you and please do it again.

Removing the key from the lock she places it, along with her purse, on the small table by the front door.

"Hey, I'm here." She removes her phone from her purse and checks to see if she's got any missed calls. Still looking at her phone she calls out, "Pipes, you home?" She walks further into the blonde's apartment making her way to the bedroom. She softly knocks on the bedroom door, slowly opening it when she hears the shower running, "Pipes, hey, I'm here."

"Oh, hi. Um, I'll be right out."

"You sure you don't want some company?" She stands in the doorway of Piper's bathroom with her arms folded and a smirk on her face.

"It's ok, really, I'm almost done. You know where the menu drawer is, so go take a look at what you want and I'll order once I'm out."

Alex walks away from the bathroom and out of the bedroom. She knows something's up with Piper but just doesn't know what. She makes her way to the kitchen, opens the fridge, pulls a few grapes from the stem, closes the fridge and leans against the counter. Just as she's finishing her last grape Piper comes out.

"Hi, sorry, I meant to be out by the time you got here."

Wiping her hand on her jeans, she makes her way on over to the blonde, "no problem," and pulls her in for a kiss. Piper responds but not as she usually does. She's distant and almost distracted even.

"Did you get a chance to look over the menus? Remember, whatever you want. Although I could really go for Greek… but, yeah, like I said… your choice."

Not wanting the blonde to shut down and retreat into herself, Alex goes along with it, "you know what? Greek sounds great."

"Excellent then," the blonde grabs the menu and her phone, "what do you want?"

"The usual's fine."

While the blonde is on the phone placing the order, Alex's phone dings on the counter. It's Nicky.

_Nicky: Figure out what's eating Gilbert Grape yet?_

_Alex: …why Gilbert Grape? Why that name?_

_Nicky: Hey, don't look at me, you're the one always going on about how she's always has fucking grapes in her refrigerator._

_Alex: Nothing yet, but I only just got here so…_

_Nicky: Did you try, I don't know, asking her?_

_Alex: You do remember who my girlfriend is, right?_

_Nicky: Listen, you know her better than I do. Call me anytime if you need to talk. Now quit talking to me and go talk to her._

Alex puts her phone down after a few seconds.

"Ok, the food should be here… what's wrong? Everything ok?" Piper asked when she saw Alex's worried expression.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just Nicky bugging me with work shit. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"How is she anyway, I haven't seen her in a while."

"Yeah, she's alright. Busy talking Lorna off the ledge. Apparently she's planning a wedding where the bride is either playing some elaborate prank or is truly just awful."

"How awful?" The blonde asks walking towards the brunette.

"Highlighter green bridesmaids dresses awful." Alex is leaning on the counter and opens her arms welcoming Piper into her embrace, resting her arms around the blonde's waist.

Piper's eyes go wide and she raises a hand to her mouth, "those poor women." She lets out a short laugh and stops. Unable to stop imagining a group of angry women walking down the aisle looking like ice pops she let's out a full on snort laugh. "I swear if Polly ever does that to me, I'll kill her. I'll wait until after the wedding's over, but I will kill her."

Alex laughs a bit at the seriousness of Piper's tone before pulling the blonde in for another kiss. Alex kisses Piper slowly, calmly, carefully. She's not in a rush, she wants to savor the moment. She slips a hand underneath Piper's shirt and rests it on the small of her back, lightly caressing her skin with her thumb.

For a moment Piper forgets everything. She forgets the letter, forgets about the job and if she'll take it. She forgets about everything that's made her lose sleep for the past week losing herself completely in the kiss. She let's out a moan and Alex takes that as encouragement.

The brunette moves her hand up slightly and moves her lips to the blonde's neck. Temporarily checked out of her life and problems, Piper tries to enjoy the here and now. Alex continues working her over and she's losing her ability to comprehend words. But before she does, she remembers something.

"Al"

In between kisses Alex simply makes a noise to let her know she's listening, "hm."

"Al, we can't – _oh that's nice_  –in the kitchen."

"Why not?"

"Because of," Piper is slowly losing her ability to form words, "the knives."

Alex stops but doesn't move. After a few seconds she buries her face in the crook of Piper's neck and laughs softly. "Knives, Pipes? Are they alive? Are they gonna launch themselves at us?"

"They're all in drawers…"

"You know what? I think we'll be fine. Now," Alex speaks against Piper's neck, "where was I…"

Piper can feel herself being pulled in by Alex and she couldn't let that happen. She invited Alex over for a reason and she really did need to talk to her. She had to maintain her focus so she said the first thing that came to mind.

"We didn't have any returns today."

"That's great." The brunette continued on her mission to make the blonde turn into putty in her hands.

"Polly, um, got a very – _oh my god, Alex_  –nasty paper cut today. On one of those yellow envelopes."

"I'm sure she'll live."

"She's got a bandage on, so yeah she's fine." Piper was losing her concentration.

"Wonderful." Alex slipped her hand down the back of Piper's jeans.

"I had soup for lunch. We're getting a really big shipment next week, bath salts. A lot of – _fuck_ ," Piper takes a deep breath, "a lot of bath salts."

Alex traced the shell of her ear with her tongue and Piper lost it. She all but attacked Alex's neck as the brunette let out a low, throaty chuckle.

After a few moments Piper stopped. She buried her face in Alex's neck and inhaled deeply, then pulled back.

"Are you…" another sniff of the brunette's neck, "you are, aren't you?"

"Am I what? It doesn't matter, I'm sure we can talk about it later."

"You still use the shower gel, the one you got when we first met. Oh my god, Alex."

"Really, Piper, you want to talk about this  _now_?!"

Piper smiled at Alex, "come here." Piper led them to the living room.

Alex plopped down, taking up the entire couch, and kicking off her shoes. "Mmmmm, I just love your couch. What's it stuffed with? Like, organic cotton or something?" Alex buries herself further into the couch.

Piper watches her girlfriend closely as she makes herself comfortable. "I'm not sure, but it really is comfortable. I slept on the couch for almost a month before I bought a bed."

"If only I would've met you sooner. You wouldn't have had to sleep on your couch. You could've slept in my bed." Alex gives her a crooked smile.

"Normally this is where I'd roll my eyes, but your bed is ridiculously comfortable, so. Organic cotton?" Piper smiles back at her.

"Space foam!" The brunette stretches and let's out a little moan.

Piper knows it's a natural thing she does, but after Alex found out what it did to Piper, she did it more often. The blonde walks to the edge of the couch and Alex moves over, making space for her.

Alex snuggles into Piper and then moves back again, eyes closed. "I'm so relaxed right now."

"Go ahead and take a nap, I'll wake you once the food arrives."

"No, I haven't seen you in, like, a week. I'm not gonna take a nap right now."

"I really am sorry about that. This past week has been extremely stressful."

"Well, one of the perks of being in a relationship with me is that I'm a veeery good listener," Alex tucks Piper's hair behind her ear, "and after you've talked it all out, we can make out on this very comfortable couch."

Piper gives her a small smile and looks at her as she strokes under her chin. She studies Alex's face just as she did the first time they kissed. It felt like it was only yesterday she was asking her inappropriate questions about what she did in the shower, but at the same time it felt like they've known each other for much longer.

"Hey"

"Hey"

"I was thinking about something earlier this week."

"Oh?"

"Why don't you move in with me?"

"What?"

"It doesn't have to be now, but it's something I'd like you to think about. I mean, I don't live far so your commute time wouldn't really change and besides, my apartment is bigger. We could fit all your stuff in there easily."

"Alex…"

"You don't have to answer me now, just… think about it. We can talk about it some other time."

"Ok there's something I have to talk to you about as well."

Just then the doorbell rang.

"Oh thank god, I'm starving. We'll talk after we eat ok, babe?" Alex gets up to go get the door.

"Yeah sure," Piper looks down at her hands as Alex walks away, "money's on the counter."

* * *

 

"I've had this specific dish in just about every restaurant in this city and no other place makes it as good as these guys."

"They make their own tzatziki you know."

"Of course I know, why do you think I always get extra? I could eat it literally on anything." Alex dips in a cucumber slice and devours it. "It's the best one I've had outside of Greece."

"You've been to Greece?"

"Yeah, a couple times."

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"Sorry?"

"You have to tell me about your trips there. You have to."

"You know, I should get them some sort of thank you gift because their food is sooo good!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Loupasakis?"

"Oh, is that their last name? Well, yeah, them. Even Lorna likes their food and Lorna doesn't like anything 'ethnic'." Alex makes air quotes. "Which is weird because Nicky will eat a tree branch if you put enough hot sauce on it."

"Yeah, she and Lorna, one of the first times they came over Nicky said she was hungry so I told her she was welcome to look through the refrigerator. She comes into the living room 15 mins later eating something out of a bowl and asks me what it is."

"What was it?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I hadn't really cooked in over a week. I had grapes, kombucha, organic fresh made peanut butter, apples, and green tea in a jar. And of course that bowl."

"Oh I remember that! She told me she tried and it tasted funny so she figured it was some 'health crap' and looked around for hot sauce and just kept pouring it on until the funny taste went away, which by the way she laughed endlessly because you have organic hot sauce."

"Yeah, I heard about that for like two weeks. She actually made me laugh a couple times."

Alex gets up and starts picking up the empty containers. "Mm you said you had something you wanted to talk to me about. What is it?"

Piper walks over to where her purse is, looks through it, and pulls out the letter. "You take those to the kitchen and I'll tell you when you get back."

About twenty minutes later Alex had cleaned up and made her way back to Piper. "Ok, what's up?"

Piper hands her the envelope as she sits down on the couch again. "Here, read this first."

Alex removes the letter from the envelope and reads it carefully.

Piper's stomach has that same feeling one gets when you're sitting front row center on a roller coaster, but not in a good way.

After a few minutes Alex carefully folds the letter, puts it back in the envelope, and hands it back to Piper.

"Well?" The blonde anxiously awaits an answer, any answer, from the brunette.

"Well… it looks like you have quite the opportunity in front of you. Have you made a decision yet?"

Piper nods her head.

"And?"

"Alex, I need you to understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I may never get a chance like this ever again in my life."

"Right, and where do I fit in this picture? In your life?"

"Alex you know how I feel about you-"

"Do I know? Because you haven't really told me."

"That's not fair, Alex. Neither of us has."

"That letter said you have until the end of next week to reply, next Friday. What do you want, Piper. I want you to tell me what you want. It's time to be a grown and talk things out."

Piper's buries her face in her hands, elbows resting on her knees. She stays like that for a while, neither of them move. Not a sound in the apartment except for what can be heard from the street below.

"I don't want you to go."

"Al…"

"Piper, please don't go."

The blonde looks up, silent tears falling from both their eyes. Their eyes meet and Alex holds her gaze a while before speaking.

"I love you, Piper."

Piper begins to sob.

"I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in this life. And I'm asking, please, don't go to Paris. Please don't go." The tears flow freely from the brunette's eyes.

Piper hugs her so forcefully she almost knocks the wind out of her. She pulls back a little and looks at Alex's face. Her eyes scan over every inch and end up at her eyes, staring deeply into them. The blonde holds her tight for several minutes before finding her voice.

"I'm so sorry, Alex." With that Piper kisses Alex one last time, then gets up, goes to her bedroom, and doesn't come back out.

Alex sits on the couch, stunned, frozen, for almost another ten minutes. The only thing her mind registers are Piper's muffled sobs.

She quietly gets up, picks up her purse, her phone, and walks to the door. She looks around at the apartment one last time and leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone, every single person, that reads this. You guys are great and make writing this so much more fun. I love you all Marta.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you guys. How's everyone doing? Here's another chapter. I, um, yeah, I have no idea what to say about it.

 

She feels her phone vibrate in her back pocket, pulls it out and answers without checking the caller ID.

"Hello."

"Hey, Blondie, how's it goin'?"

"Nicky?"

"The one and only. Hey, let me talk to Alex."

Piper realizes Alex hasn't told Nicky yet. "Oh, um, well we haven't- we're not- she's- she's not here, Nicky."

Noticing Piper's tone Nicky knew something was up between the two. "So if she's not with you and she hasn't been answering any calls or emails for four days, then where is she?"

Piper fights back tears, "I'm sorry, Nicky, I don't know. I've gotta go, bye."

Nicky hears the dial tone and looks at her phone screen, "ah shit."

* * *

 

"I know you're in there so you might as well open the door." Nicky stands in front of Alex's door knocking. "I have a key, you know. I'm trying to give you a chance here so I don't have to use it, but I will if I have to." She rummages through her purse looking for her keys. "Ok, fine, you wanna play this game, then ok, I'm comin' in."

She opens the door and calls out from the doorway, "I'm inside so now you can't ignore me anymore." Walking through the apartment she notices that nothing is out of place and everything seems fine, but she can't shake the feeling that the bad news is still to come.

Walking down the corridor towards the brunette's room she softly calls out, "Alex? I know you're in there. Consider this a heads up that I'm coming in so please put some pants on." Nicky approaches the door and slowly pushes it open. "Alex?" Nicky peeks in and doesn't see anyone.

The curtains to the sliding door move and she realizes it's open; she's out on the terrace. She walks over and sticks her head outside and is immediately hit with a cloud of smoke.

"Jesus, you're smokin' again? Since when?"

Alex doesn't move a muscle. Nicky steps outside and surveys the scene. The brunette is sitting on a comfortable outdoor lounge chair wearing sweatpants and an oversized hooded sweatshirt. She's got her feet up, the hood on and she's surrounded by a cloud of cigarette smoke.

Nicky walks over toward the other lounge chair and sits facing Alex. "Oh, hello, Nicky so good to see you! I'm sorry I've been avoiding you, my  _best friend_ , for the past four days. As an apology you can have that sculpture I know you've always coveted. The one in the corner of the living room." Nicky tries to make Alex laugh, but isn't successful.

Nicky has seen Alex through the very worst times in her life. She was there when Alex met her dad. She was there when Alex's mom died. She was there when Alex nearly turned back to drugs after the loss of her mother. She's seen Alex hit rock bottom time and time again, but never has she seen Alex look like this. She's never seen this empty expression on her face, as if everything is lost and nothing can be fixed.

After studying her friend a bit she lightly smacks the brunette's knee with the back of her hand. "What's goin' on?"

No response.

"Hey, Alex, it's me, Nicky. I'm not leaving 'til you tell me what's wrong. I don't care how angry you get, I'm not gonna walk outta that door until I know you're alright and… won't do anything you'll regret later."

At that Alex reacted. She tilted her head back slightly and rested it on the chair a bit. Bringing it back she removed her hood, brought her glasses up onto her head and looked at Nicky for the first time since she arrived.

"Fuck, Vause. What the hell happened?"

Alex breathes in hard through her nose and takes a very long drag on her cigarette. She looks away for a bit as she inhales the smoke. Slowly letting it back out she looks back at Nicky and answers her, "Paris fucking happened." Her voice a bit hoarse from the constant crying and chain smoking.

"Paris? What do you mean Paris?"

"Piper's taking a job in Paris for two years. Some work abroad program she signed up for before we even met. With the possibility of permanent employment after the two years is up."

"Shit, man, are you serious?" Alex nods her head, "fuck."

"Yeah."

"Did you tell her how you feel? Maybe that would change her mind."

"I told her. I told her and I begged her not to go. You wanna know what she said?" Nicky looks at the brunette as tears spill from her eyes, "she said 'I'm so sorry, Alex.' She said she was fucking sorry and then rushed off to her room." Alex quickly wiped at her eyes, hating the way all of this was affecting her.

"Alex, hey, come on…"

Alex picked up the snifter on the small table between the chairs and sipped the scotch inside. She tilted the glass towards Nicky, silently asking her if she wanted some. "You know where they are." And she pointed towards her apartment.

Moments later Nicky comes back and pours herself some. "When did it happen?" She asked after taking her first sip.

"Saturday. We spoke on Friday and I mentioned how she was acting all strange. Turns out that's why. She'd been meaning to tell me for a week. And by this Friday she's gotta respond. In a matter of two weeks everything went to shit."

"I'm sorry, man."

"It's all just so sudden. I'm not saying it'd be any easier if it happened over a few weeks, no. It's just… I feel hurt and, well, betrayed, if I'm being honest."

After a few minutes of silence Nicky speaks up, "alright, listen, I don't know how else to say this so here goes: it arrived yesterday. Last night."

Alex immediately looked at Nicky.

"Do you want me to get rid of it? I'll put it the warehouse, outta sight, you'll never even see it. And I'll sell it for you. You won't even have to deal with it"

"No." Alex sighs deeply. "No, I want her to have it."

"I was afraid you might say that."

"Afraid?" She puts out her cigarette in the ashtray.

"I like Piper, you know I do, but it kills me to see you like this. And to know that she did this too you…"

"I still love her though."

"I know."

"I'll always love her."

"I know."

"And if I can't be in her life anymore, I'd at least like to know she'll have the memory of us. It may not have been a long time, but what have- what we  _had_ ," Alex starts crying again, "not everyone is lucky enough to have that. I don't want her to ever forget it. So…. I want her to have it."

"You're absolutely sure?"

Alex nods and finishes off her scotch. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"Ok, ok. I'll have it delivered then. When is she leaving?"

"Well she has until the end of the week to respond to the offer and then the letter said the following week she'd be flying out."

"Shit, that's fuckin' fast."

"I'm aware, Nicky."

"Good to see you haven't lost your charming personality in this mess."

Alex lights another cigarette and takes a drag, "like you're any better," exhales.

"You should come over next Friday."

"Nicky…"

"No, I'm serious! Come over. I'm firing up the grill, we're having steak!" Nicky smiles real wide. "It's one of the last nights we can actually do that before it gets so cold my nipples break off."

"Is this you trying to convince me to go or stay home?"

"I'm telling Lorna you're coming. You know what'll happen if you don't show up."

"How could I forget?"

"Listen, I know this whole thing is supremely fucked up, but as your friend, yes I'm pulling the Friend Card, as your friend, I don't think you should be alone on that night. You might not be in the mood, but who better to understand that than us? Besides you can drink 'til you piss your pants again-"

"Again, that was  _you_  who pissed yourself."

"It doesn't matter, you know. What I'm trying to say is, when the shit hits the fan it's good to be around people that actually a give a fuck."

"Sometimes it's hard to believe you're the same person that got arrested and started a sing along in the county jail."

"Hey, who doesn't fucking love Queen?! Nobody, that's who."

"Didn't the sheriff join in at one point?"

"You can't simply hear  _Don't Stop Me Now_ and just NOT sing along."

Alex let's out an almost laugh.

"So you're coming?"

"Yeah, fine, I'll go."

"As your loving and caring friend, if you ever feel that you need to have a drunken night out to get over your ex… I'm your gal."

"If memory serves me right, the last time we did, you vowed never to put another drop of alcohol in your mouth again."

"Well that was before my discovery."

"Honestly, do I even wanna know?"

"Vodka and Gatorade. Actually any liquor with Gatorade."

"…what?"

"Well, you get hungover 'cause you're dehydrated 'cause of all the alcohol. But if you drink Gatorade with it you won't have that issue. It's got all these, uh, electrolytes and shit."

Alex manages to truly laugh.

"No, I'm being serious! I was watching the Discovery Channel-"

"Ok, first, every time you start a story with  _that sentence_  we end up either suspended, hospitalized, or arrested."

"Fine then. I won't give you my recipe for guaranteed hangover prevention."

"Guaranteed?"

"Ok, no, not yet, it's still just a theory, but it makes sense."

"Just like how in 7th grade you tried to convince that kid that had a crush on you that 'gravity didn't work' if you weren't touching the ground?"

"I'm not here to dig up the past." Nicky takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "I'm here to check on you, make sure you don't forget that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction."

"Thanks, Nicky."

"Don't mention it. Now, I'm starving, do you have any food in this shit hole?"

"No, all I have is too much booze."

"I'll go order pizza then."

"No fucking anchovies this time!" The brunette calls out as Nicky makes her way to the kitchen.

* * *

 

"Piper?"

Polly walks up the stairs in the back and softly knocks on the door to the office. Piper's sitting in her chair staring out the window openly weeping.

"Piper, honey, come here." Polly walks over and hugs her friend.

"I don't know anymore, Polly. I just don't know."

"Shhh" Polly soothingly rubs Piper's back and keeps her in a tight embrace. "Listen, I've called the girls and they're gonna trade off. One closes tonight and the other opens tomorrow. You and I are taking a day of R&R. We'll spend the entire day in our PJs at your place. We'll talk about anything you want and we can even do each other's nails."

"No! No, I- no, no nails." Having her nails painted in her home was a memory she strongly associated with Alex.

"Ok whatever you want then. Come on, get your things and we'll leave."

* * *

 

As the two women walk into Piper's favorite health food store they go directly to the buffet and get themselves dinner.

"I want you to know I'm here for you. I know you're leaving soon, but whatever you need, I'll be just an email or Skype call away."

"Thanks, Polly."

"I'm so serious about this that I'm even eating this kelp thing you always try to get me to eat."

Piper lets out a half laugh, "you don't have to, I know how much you hate it."

"Oh thank god. I don't think I could've actually swallow that."

"Back in the office you said you didn't know anymore. What did you mean?"

Piper pushes some food around her plate, not wanting to eat, but also not wanting to deal with Polly's nagging. "So much has happened in the past two weeks that just thinking about it makes me a little dizzy. I leave in four days. In four days I'll be on an plane to Paris where my entire life will change."

"Those are all very good things, but why don't you sound happy?"

"I'm not sure if," Piper pushes her plate aside, places her elbows on the table, and covers her eyes with her hands, "I'm not so sure I made the right decision anymore, Pol."

"You know, your mother would have a fit if she knew you had your elbows on the table right now."

Piper forces a smile. "Every time I tell myself to stop thinking about her, leave that part of my life behind… something reminds me of her. The smallest thing. Like the other day I was brushing my teeth, getting ready for work, wondering what mornings in Paris will be like. I saw my tweezers and completely lost it. I cried for an hour on the bathroom floor."

"Tweezers?"

"The eyebrows."

"Ohhhh…"

"And it's not just that. I mean,  _everything_  is just  _so_  Alex it's hard to do anything without thinking of her. Her presence in my life, daily, is so strong that I can almost feel her at times. And, I know, before you say that's impossible, I don't mean literally feel her, like, touch my arm. I mean… Ok, it's like, I was a complete person before I met Alex, right?"

"Right."

"Well, after we started seeing each other it's like everything inside me rearranged itself to make room for her. It's never like I was missing any part of myself, no, Alex wasn't the missing puzzle piece. She complements me, you know?"

"Not sure I'm following."

"I was a happy and fulfilled person before Alex. But after Alex life was so… so much better, brighter, more satisfying. And I'm sure I could learn to live without her, but I'm not so sure I want to, Polly."

Polly looks up from her plate, green bean still on her fork. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I don't know exactly what I want and I've got four days to get my shit together. I'm going to make a huge mistake on Friday, but I just want it to be one I can live with for the rest of my life."

"Piper, do you remember what I asked you that day you told me about the letter?"

"Yes."

"Have you thought about it?"

"Yes, I have. I do, Polly."

"Well, have you told  _her_  that?"

Piper shakes her head no.

"Do you know how she feels about you?"

Piper nods her head yes.

"Still not gonna tell you what to do, but I just wanted you to be aware of the facts. She loves you and you love her, but you're too scared to say it."

"I've never felt like this about anyone before."

"You loved Larry, Piper, what are you talking about?"

"Yeah, I loved Larry, but never the way I love Alex. Everyone before her was like eating hospital food. When Alex stepped into my life colors became brighter, flavors stronger and I was suddenly so aware of everything. As if she awakened something in my that lied dormant for years."

"Now ask yourself, are you willing to leave all that behind for a job opportunity? I know it's a once in a lifetime thing, but you haven't experienced the job yet. For all you know you could end up hating it. But you already know you love Alex. You should see yourself talking about her. I've known you for years now and I've never seen your eyes come alive like that when you talked about anything else. Ever."

"You're not making this any easier."

* * *

 

Piper had insisted on working up until the very last day she could. Polly forbade her from coming in on Thursday reminding her that packing for a two-year trip to Paris wasn't easy, especially when you're Piper Chapman.

So on Thursday afternoon Piper has two suitcases open on her bed, staring at her closet wondering what she should take when her doorbell rings.

"Who on Earth could that possibly be?" As she makes her way to the door she begins calling out, "Polly is that you? If it is I hope you have food because I'm starv-"

As she opens the door she sees a burly man with a receding hairline and very bushy eyebrows.

"Hello, sorry, I thought you were my friend Polly."

"No, I'm Vinny. Although one of the boys? He's Pauly, but he's out today, stomach bug or something." The man states in his thick accent.

"Sonuvabitch is prolly just hungova. Piece a shit can't handle anything more than a couple beers." A weasely looking guy spoke from behind Vinny.

"Hey, how 'bout you shut your mouth and go downstairs. You're talkin' too much." Vinny points towards the elevators and watches until the weasely looking fellow disappears. "Sorry 'bout dat, miss. He's not very big, but his mouth is."

"It's… fine. Um, can I help you?"

"Yeah, sure, you can tell me where you want the delivery."

"Excuse me? What delivery?"

"The crate? With fragile in 'uge letters on all the sides?" He pantomimes the shape of a box. When he notices that the blonde is completely lost he checks the delivery form. "Hold on, you're… Piper Chapman, right? And this is the correct address?" He hands her the slip.

"Yes, that's my name and address but I didn't order anything, much less anything that should be delivered in crate."

"Sorry, Ms. Chapman, but I don't make the rules, I just follow 'em. I'm under penalty of death if I don't deliver this. You see my cousin's girlfriend, she's small but she's scary. I think it's the hair."

"The hair?"

"Yeah, the hair. Well, yeah, you can call this number right- I'll write it down for you – here and you can take it up with them. If I come back without a signature, your signature, for this specific item, I'll never hear the end of it."

Not wanting to prolong the conversation any further Piper quickly signs the slip. "Listen, Vinny, right?" He nods, "I'm actually packing because I leave for a very important trip tomorrow, so do you mind if I just leave the door open for you guys? You can put the… whatever it is over there behind the couch. Is that alright?"

"No problem." He gives her thumbs up.

After a while she hears Vinny call out from the living room, "Ms. Chapman?"

"Yes?" She answers as she makes her way down the small hallway.

"Ok we've left it behind the couch. I was instructed to  _make sure_  there wasn't anything else I could do before I left."

Piper moved around to see the mystery item and when she did she felt dizzy. She no longer heard anything Vinny said so he assumed his work was done and left. Piper stood rooted to her spot staring until her vision blurred and she realized she was crying.

Right in front of her was the desk she had seen months ago and mentioned wanting. The very desk that Alex had specifically said was the rarest piece in the world- one of a kind -and cost a small fortune. And, now, here it was in her living room the day before she left for Paris.

Piper walked over to the desk and looked at it awhile, almost afraid to touch it. She slowly and carefully opened the middle drawer and saw a white envelope with her name hand written in all caps across the front. With tears falling down her face abundantly she pulled out the note.

_Pipes,_

_I hope Paris treats you well._

_Love,_

_AV_

Piper began to sob. She managed to stuff the note back in the envelope and rushed to her room. She looked herself in the mirror thankful she wasn't wearing any make-up, grabbed her purse, stuffed the envelope inside and made her way to the front door.

She grabbed her keys and walked out of the door with one destination in mind: Alex's apartment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you guys are the best and I would really give you guys juice if I could. It really does help!


	18. Chapter 18

“Thank you.” Piper hurriedly pays the cab driver, makes her way into Alex’s building and directly towards the elevators.

She waits, impatiently, for one to arrive and nearly knocks over the person exiting as she gets in. “Sorry!” She blurts out as she repeatedly presses the button for Alex’s floor.

After three agonizing minutes the she reaches the correct floor and barely waits for the doors to open properly as the elevator dings and she flies around the corner towards Alex’s apartment. She stops in front of the doors, takes a deep breath and knocks. After a few minutes she tries again and still nothing.

_Ok, not a problem, she’s probably at work or something. I’ll just… I’ll just wait. Unless… unless she’s in there and knows it’s me and doesn’t wanna answer the door._ She knocks again a little softer, “Alex? Are you in there? I really, really need to talk to you. It’s about, well, everything really, but we’ll start with the desk.” After five minutes of silence, “Alex?” She places both her hands flat on the door and lightly lays her head against the door.

Piper looks at her phone for the time. _Almost seven o’clock. She should be arriving any moment now._ Piper looks around and not seeing any other option sits down in the hallway next to the door.

After half an hour Piper gets out her phone, pulls up her Kindle app and begins to read the book she’s nearly done with anyway. After an hour or so she’s done. “Not terrible, but not that good either,” says the blonde as she exits the app and checks the time. _Eight o’clock. She’s probably “in the zone” or whatever Nicky says and can’t be torn away from her work. Should I call Nicky? No, not yet._

Piper is so nervous that her hands won’t stop trembling and her leg occasionally jolts. She begins looking through her purse for those chamomile candies she got at the farmer’s market but doesn’t find them. Instead she finds a bottle of quick dissolve melatonin tablets. _Whatever works at this point_. She pops one in her mouth and continues to wait for Alex. _Mm strawberry._ Piper’s mind is immediately taken back to the time that Alex rocked her world in the kitchen on the other side of that door with a carton of strawberries. She’d never be the same after that and now almost blushed whenever someone mentioned the tiny fruit.

After about twenty minutes Piper began to feel a little drowsy. Her head began to dip and she almost fell over at one point. _Maybe I’ll just take a short nap and wait…_

Piper never finished her train of thought because she fell into a coma like sleep.  

* * *

“Thanks” Alex paid the cab driver and got out. She used the car door to steady herself some.

“You ok, lady?”

“Yeah, just a one too many drinks.”

“Rough week?”

“You could say that, yeah.”

“I hear ya. You gonna be ok?”

Taking a second to think about the current state of her life she responds, “I sure hope so.” She closes the door, taps the roof a couple times and waves off the driver.

She makes her way into her building and just as she steps inside her phone rings. Reading the caller ID she smiles and answers, “what do you want? I just saw your sorry ass.”

“I _was_ gonna ask if you wanted me to make those potatoes you like tomorrow night, but now I don’t give a shit.” Nicky slightly slurs into the phone.

“Yes! I would love those potatoes tomorrow.” In her slightly drunken state Alex sounds peppier than she normally does.

Hearing her friend’s unnatural cheeriness and knowing it’s due to the amount of alcohol they consumed that evening Nicky bursts into laughter and can no longer function.

“What are you laughing at?” She asks while laughing into her phone. She looks up at the numbers above the elevator realizing she’s almost at her floor.

“Oh god, she did it again, Alex. She’s laughing so hard she’s practically in some other world or somethin’.” Lorna grabbed Nicky’s phone to explain the situation.

“When you get home, throw her into a cold shower. Trust me it’ll work. She’ll swear up a storm and she’ll probably hate you for a few hours, but she’ll come around eventually.”

“Noted. Oh, hey, my sister, you remember her, right?”

“Mhm yeah.”

“Ok well she wants to host a cocktail party at our place since our bathroom is done and hers isn’t.” Lorna wasn’t great with details when she was drunk.

“Oh…. ok?”

“And you’re invited!”

Alex nodded her head completely forgetting that Lorna can’t see her.

“She’s celebrating a big work accomplishment and I thought you’d like to be there with Nicky, you know, network and all that.”

Alex smiles, “look at you, thinking of us and our business. You’re so thoughtful!”

“Oh, you know me, I do what I can to help. It’s two weeks from tomorrow and it’s a fancy thing, so I wanna see you all dolled up, ok? There’ll be plenty of people there. Lots of men _and women_.” Subtly is not Lorna’s strong suit.

Alex laughs out loud in the hallway before covering her mouth after she remembers it’s way past midnight. “I’ll be sure to be dressed for the occasion, don’t worry.”

“Oh yeah, I’m gonna need the address to that boutique your friend Rachel owns, I’m gettin’ a new dress for that night!”

“You should take Nicky with you.”

“Yeah, so she can threaten to murder me after I try on a bunch of dresses. You know she has no patience for that stuff.”

Alex laughs softly into the phone as she approaches the corner she turns to get to her apartment. “Yeah, I know, it’s why I suggested it. Alright, I’ve gotta go, but I’ll be there two weeks from Friday and I’ll be sure to wear something really nice. Ok, bye.” Phone in hand she looks through her purse for her keys as she rounds the corner. Fishing them out she raises her head and stops immediately.

“Piper?”

Having woken up when she heard Alex’s booming laugh moments ago, she quickly rose to her feet when she heard Alex’s end of the conversation on the phone. “Alex, hi.” She takes a step forward.

The shock of seeing Piper at her door sobered her up a little, but not completely. “What the fuck are you doing here?” She asked with genuine confusion in her voice.

“Who was that on the phone?” Piper couldn’t help herself. She didn’t want to ask, she didn’t want to seem nosey or jealous after all she had no right to, but she really just could not help herself. Hearing Alex laugh the way she did and then promise someone she’d see them in two weeks and she’d ‘wear something really nice’ was almost too much for Piper. Had Alex really moved on so quickly?

“Again, what are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your trip to Paris for your awesome new job?” The brunette asked unenthusiastically with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

“Alex…”

“Look, Piper, it’s late and I’m not really able to have a proper conversation with you right now. Have _fun_ in Paris. I’m sure you can say whatever it is you wanna say in an email.”

“Can I have water?” Piper was desperate for Alex to hear her out. She’d made a huge mistake two weeks prior and she’d do anything she could to right that wrong. “I’ve been sitting here since seven and I didn’t want to miss you so I didn’t leave.”

“You’ve been sitting outside my apartment for eight hours?”

Piper nodded her head.

“Did you forget how to use a phone?”

“Would you have answered if I had called?”

Realizing Piper had a point, Alex made her way around the blonde. She unlocked the door, made her way inside and left the door open letting Piper know she could come inside. She followed Alex into the kitchen and watched as she took two bottles of water from the refrigerator. She offered one to Piper and opened the other one drinking almost half of it in one go.

“You should drink some Gatorade.”

“…..what?”

“Gatorade. It’ll help rehydrate you so you don’t wake up with a hangover. And maybe leave two Tylenol on your nightstand. You know you always wake up with aches all over whenever you drink too much.”

Alex took a big sip of her water and stared at Piper as she swallowed. Piper stared back at her. Both too scared to speak.

“Why are you here, Piper?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Like I said, email me. I’m too tired and too drunk to listen to whatever you have to say right now. Have a safe trip.” Alex takes the last sip of her water bottle and makes her way to the pantry.

Thunder rumbles and the sound of rain against the windows reaches them in the kitchen.

“I- This is important, Al.” At the sound of her nickname that only Piper used the brunette gripped the pantry doors tightly. “I need to talk to you today, now.”

“Of course, by all means, let me once again, put what I want aside and bend to your demands.” Talk about lowered inhibitions.

“Alex, you know that’s not true. That’s not how it happened and you know it.” She placed her water bottle down on the counter behind her.

“Oh, so you didn’t hide this letter from me for a week? And then come to a decision before even discussing it with me. I’m a reasonable person, Piper, I would’ve understood if you had been honest with me.”

“I didn’t- I didn’t want for our last couple of weeks together to have that feeling, that final ‘goodbye’ feeling.”

“So instead you chose to keep it from me and simply pull the rug out from under me, is that it? Because that’s exactly what it felt like.”

“No, that’s not- It was not my intention to keep anything from you, Alex. For that first week I was still deciding whether I wanted to go or not. And it was hell. I wanted to stay… I _want_ to stay, but this opportunity isn’t going to come along twice.” Piper looked at Alex with a look that begged her to understand.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Make me feel sorry for you? Understand your decision? Because it doesn’t. I was ready to share my home with you, Piper. I was ready to build a life with you. I told you I loved you and you told me that you were sorry.”

Becoming irritated at her helplessness Piper starts being agitated, “what do you want me to say Alex? That- that I’m afraid of what I feel for you? That the idea of sharing a roof with you makes me so unbelievably happy that I find it hard to breathe? That no other person can make me as happy, angry, laugh as hard, feel at peace as you do? Because it’s true.”

They both stand still in the kitchen, the only sounds heard are that of the rain falling harder outside.

“Piper, listen, I don’t want to fight with you right now. It’s late and it’s raining really hard outside. You can sleep on the couch, you’ll never catch a cab in this weather.” Alex took one last look at Piper. She memorized her face.

She memorized the way Piper’s tiny nose would scrunch up when she laughed. The way when she was really happy she’d smile so brightly she could make the sun jealous. How when she lost her temper her lips would set into a thin straight line. Or how when she was trying to rationalize a selfish act or thought her eyebrows would rise and her forehead would wrinkle up. How here eyes could contain so many emotions all at once.

“Goodbye, Piper.” Alex turned to leave the kitchen.

“I love you.”

Alex stopped walking, but didn’t turn around. Piper didn’t say another word. They both stood quietly in the kitchen, afraid to move.

“I love you, Alex. I love you. I love you so much it scares the shit out of me.” Piper hadn’t realized it but she’d begun to cry. “I never- I’m not good with expressing emotions. It wasn’t something encouraged in the Chapman household as I grew up. I was always taught to bury it deep down inside if it was unpleasant or uncomfortable to deal with.”

Alex still hadn’t turned around.

“I got a delivery this afternoon. A desk. And you know what I love the desk, it’s perfect. But, fuck, Alex. How am I supposed to leave that desk- leave _you_ –and go to Paris for two years now? To be completely honest I’m not even sure if I would’ve gone through with it even if you hadn’t sent me the desk.”

“What?” She turns around finally and Piper sees that she’s also been crying.

“Alex,” the blonde takes a step closer, “I’m not exactly a perfect person, you of all people should know that. And you do… from the first time we met you knew I was a walking, talking mess. And yet you continued to pursue me, I mean, I wasn’t exactly avoiding contact or anything.”

Piper took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“All my life, my entire life, I’ve had to be a different person around certain people. Around my family I’m one person, around Polly, around people at work, even when I was with Larry I was never myself, completely. But with you… you don’t need bite-sized pieces of me so you can digest me easier, no, you took all of me. Foot in mouth, pretentious eating habits, rambling when no one cares… all of it. You saw all of me and you still wanted me. I felt like I could truly breathe, for the first time in my life, when we started dating. I learned what freedom was, to be able to be yourself around someone and still be accepted not in spite of who you are, but _because_ of who you are.”

Piper is directly in front of Alex.

“Do you know that feeling you get after a long trip? How all you wanna do is just shower in your bathroom, sit on your couch, sleep in your bed? You want to just go home and be there, just be in your home. Because that’s where you feel most comfortable, safe, at peace and relaxed. When I think of those things… Alex… I think of you. No one makes me feel like you do. No one accepts me like you do. No one challenges me, talks to me, or makes me angry like you do. You evoke all of these extreme emotions in me that only someone that mattered could.”

Piper brings her hands to rest on either side of Alex’s face.

“I’m not going to Paris. I’m not leaving the city. I’m not leaving _you._ ” She softly kissed Alex. So lightly that Alex almost didn’t feel it.

“I know I hurt you, I betrayed your trust, but I’m willing to do whatever you need me to do so that I can have you back in my life.”

Piper turns and starts walking to the door.

“Are you going home?” Alex remembers suddenly how hard it’s raining outside.

“I’m going to my apartment.” She gives the brunette a long, meaningful look and continues, “you’re my home, Alex.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, friends. I'm gonna do something different this time. I don't normally like to tell people how to consume/interpret their art, I mean not that what I write is art or anything but I'm rambling so back to the point. I started writing this chapter earlier this week but only got around to finishing it today. Well, earlier when I was a good portion into it, I went to the kitchen to get some water and I heard a song. And I stopped and listened to it. It's a song I'd heard a thousand times before, but this time was different. It was the perfect song for this chapter. And while I always, always associate music with everything, all the chapters I write, I never talk about it. But this I am because it blew me away sort of just how fucking perfect it is. So I just wanted to share that with you guys. I wrote a thing and only after the fact did I find a song, by chance, that fit with it so perfectly that I had it on repeat while I wrote the rest. I'd like to ask you to listen to the song before reading the chapter or while reading the chapter (up until you see fit). It's not too long and it really is a very wonderful song. You've probably heard it before, but another listen won't hurt.
> 
> The Light by Sara Bareilles

 

Alex watched Piper walk out of the kitchen. She wiped at her face and eyes. She took a deep breath and quickly walked to the doorway. "Piper, wait."

Piper turned around with a tear stained face and nothing but hope in her eyes. "Yes?" She took a small step toward Alex.

Alex is hopeful but also skeptical. She already let Piper hold her heart once only to have it crushed. She isn't sure if she can do it again.

"You're not going to Paris?"

"No. No, I'm not."

"You've already sent in your letter accepting the position."

"I don't care." And she didn't. Never before had things been so clear to her. "I've fucked up more in the past two weeks than I have in my entire life." She looked around Alex's apartment, remembering everything she'd experienced there.

Alex watched her. Piper was always open and honest with Alex. She'd always encouraged the blonde to be. But this side of Piper, where she's at her most open and most honest, was new to Alex.

"I meant what I said, Al. Whatever it takes, I'll do it. I know what I want now and I know I took too long figure it out, but I have to try. You can't blame me for trying."

Alex looked at her a moment as if deciding whether she wanted to let Piper back in or just tell her to leave. After what seemed like the longest minute in recorded history she speaks up, "coffee?"

Afraid that the very sound of her voice would make Alex change her mind, Piper simply nodded and followed Alex into the kitchen.

She opens the cupboard, gets the jar with the fair trade coffee grounds Piper made her buy and pulls the coffee machine toward her. With her back still to Piper she asks, "why the sudden change of heart? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but," she turns on the coffee maker, faces Piper and leans on the counter, crossing her arms, "it would've been nicer to never have gone through all of this."

"I know, I know. I guess it hadn't really hit me? I mean, up until Vinny knocked-"

"Vinny?"

"Delivery guy. Up until he knocked on the door it's like it wasn't real. Almost as if the consequences to my actions weren't going to touch me."

"You're not the only one that suffers the consequences to your actions."

Piper lowered her head. "I really am sorry, Alex."

"What triggered it? The realization, what brought it on?"

"What triggered it? I'd have to say the desk. That's kind of how all this," Piper gestured between the two of them, "started isn't it?"

Alex pulls out two mugs and organic, raw, cane sugar. Piper made her switch from the processed kind after they started dating. "Sort of, I guess, yeah." She goes on to prepare Piper's coffee the exact way she takes it. Two teaspoons of organic, raw, cane sugar in a mug filled three quarters of the way with fair trade Cuban coffee (Alex had told her that she'd buy organic, fair trade whatever, but she wouldn't compromise on what kind of beans she bought) and some almond milk. Alex simply added one spoonful of the sugar to hers and started sipping at the piping hot beverage.

"When I saw that desk... It just all came rushing back to me. I even felt a little dizzy."

"So is that why you decided to sit outside my door for eight hours?" Alex sipped her coffee.

Piper looked at Alex and was quiet for a minute. She looked at the contents of her mug for a few seconds and then sipped it. "I sat outside your door for eight hours because I had to talk to you and I would've waited longer if I had to. I would've waited inside but I didn't want to push my luck."

"You still have your key."

"Yeah and you still have yours."

"I was gonna have it delivered to your store, but things got a little busy-"

"Keep it. Whatever happens," Piper has a difficult time getting this out, "between us, good or bad, I want you to keep it."

"I need you to understand that what you did, the way you did it, everything… it really fucking hurt, Piper. It nearly tore me apart. I've only gone through pain of that magnitude once before in my life."

"I know it's not an excuse, and I know you're not looking for an excuse, but I panicked. I didn't think, I acted on instinct. I reacted, I should say, the way I was taught. I found myself in an uncomfortable situation and shut down. I chose the easier road, the one that would allow me to continue not dealing with my feelings."

Alex set her mug down and crossed her arms once again, not yet ready to fully let her guard down.

Still staring into her mug Piper speaks, "I'm done with that. I'm ready to face everything head on and deal with things, own up to my shit."

"Well good, it's about time."

Piper sees the hurt in Alex's eyes. She sees the damage she did and she wonders if it's at all reparable.

"This is all very strange, but if you think about it… that's a good thing."

Alex stares at her waiting for an explanation.

"We've never done things the normal way, I'm not even sure either of us know what the normal way is." She laughs softly.

Alex smiles, but stops as she looks up.

"I've lived on this planet for too long just pretending to know what I'm doing. After being with you I'm now sure I don't know, but it's the best feeling in the world, the not knowing. All I know is that there are possibilities and while that scares me to my core, I can't help but also feel a little excited. I usually prefer conventional, safe, easy… but with you I got extraordinary, dangerous and exciting. I'm not saying those are the only reasons I was with you, please understand that-"

"I got you, don't worry."

Piper smiles and continues, "you challenge me, Alex. You make me question my own actions and motives and no one has ever done that to me before. It's always been 'oh do this because it's what's right.' I'm done with that. I want to do something because it's what I want. And," Piper takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, "I thought I wanted Paris. I did want Paris. But then time went by, we met, sparks flew and before I knew it I was in love. I was in love but unwilling to admit it to myself or to you. So when an opportunity to avoid dealing with my feelings yet again came up, I ran with it."

"And what guarantee do I have, assuming that I'd accept you back, that you won't run again the next time something difficult to deal with comes up?"

"You have my word. I've hurt you, I know, but I haven't lied to you."

"That's not enough, Piper. I don't want to be with someone who would completely crush me because they're fucking  _afraid_  of some feelings. I can't be with someone like that."

"Alex," Piper takes a step closer, "I love you and whether you want to admit it or not, you still love me. Do you remember how I told you I was almost engaged once?"

Alex nods.

"Well I was with him for six years and I never felt for him what I feel for you. You're this all-consuming presence that I just can't ignore and I won't ever be able to wipe from my mind. You know when you sit in the first row on a roller coaster? That's what you've made me feel since day one and I was either too stupid or too scared to admit it. Both maybe."

Alex uncrosses her arms and takes a step closer to the blonde. "Listen, being scared shitless is normal, it happens to everyone. But I need to know that you're not gonna run every time you're scared, Piper. I need you to know that whatever it is you need, whatever it is you're feeling, you can come to me with it. We'll go through it together. Both of us."

Piper looks down for a bit. She reaches for the brunette's hand and lightly strokes it with the back of her fingers. "Together?"

Alex intertwines their fingers and brings their hands up, kisses their joined fingers and looks her directly in her eyes. "Together."

Piper lunges toward Alex and gives her the tightest hug. She inhales a shaky breath and Alex notices she's crying. "Hey, hey, look at me."

Piper reluctantly pulls back a little.

"What's wrong?" Alex tucks her hair behind her ears and wipes her tears with her thumbs.

Piper sniffles and shakes her head. "I almost lost you, Al. I almost fucked up permanently. And after all that I come to you and you're willing to try again. I don't deserve you."

Alex sees the sincerity and pain in the blonde's eyes. She hugs her again and soothingly rubs her hand up and down her back. "Piper, listen to me, we're humans, none of deserve anything. We're all extremely shitty to each other and we know we're doing it. I don't deserver you either, but," Alex pulls back and grabs Piper by the shoulders, "I want you. And maybe I don't deserve it, but I want you and I want us to be together and happy. I've had a rough life, you know that, and haven't ever really been able to find peace. Not until I met you. Not until you were a part of my life."

"So we're really doing this?" Piper asks with a hint of a smile on her face.

"We're really doing this."

"I need you to be patient with me, this whole 'discussing your feelings' business is still new to me."

"I promise to be patient, if you promise not to run and hide. I'm serious, Piper. I can't go through that again. We're both gonna do stupid things. We'll screw up, say things we shouldn't, piss each other off, but that's part of being in a relationship; you take the good and the bad."

Through her silent tears Piper smiles. "The good and the bad. We can do this. We'll be alright."

"We'll be alright." Alex repeats mirroring the blonde's smile. Alex looks at her a little longer and says almost hesitantly, "I love you so much."

Piper looked deep into Alex's green eyes and moved her hair away from her face. "I love you so much, too."

The brunette smiles. Piper then takes her hand and leads them to her bedroom.

They stand in the brunette's room and look at each other for a few minutes. Alex is fighting every one of her instincts that's telling her not to let Piper back in, but her love for Piper is stronger than any instinct she has. Piper steps as close as she can and slowly, carefully kisses Alex. Soft and cautious she continues the kiss as she slowly places both of her hands on either side of the brunette's face.

Alex removes Piper's jacket and the blonde brings her hands back toward the brunette, this time burying them in her hair. Alex places her hands on Piper's waist under her shirt, caressing her skin lightly with her thumbs. Piper brings her hands down the to the hem of Alex's shirt and pulls it up slowly, their lips only breaking contact so the item could come off completely.

Piper couldn't help herself at the sight of Alex's neck exposed right in front of her. She slowly kissed her way across the brunette's jaw and down her neck, desperate to show Alex that she was here to stay. She was done running away, she meant what she had said earlier.

They slowly and deliberately removed each other's clothing. Silently attempting to make up for lost time. Each kiss a promise on the other's skin.

Piper let Alex take control. She knew that that brunette preferred to be in control and had felt helpless in this whole situation. So in an attempt to begin mending things between them Piper surrendered to Alex completely.

Alex slowly laid Piper down on her bed and crawled over to her. Hovering over the blonde's face and smiled at her and kissed her deeply. She began a trail of kisses down her body. On her neck, across her collar bone, in between her breasts. Stopping only to let Piper know just how much she missed every inch of her breasts. Down her abdomen, her waist, her hips. Kissing, licking, nipping at her hips.

Piper's breath becoming shallow with anticipation and longing for what she nearly lost. Alex was taking her time rediscovering every groove and dip in Piper's body. She'd never forget, but it had been far too long since she last experienced her.

Alex missed Piper. She missed everything about her. Every inch of her. She missed the way her skin felt. The way her hair smelled. And most of all she missed the way she tasted.

With one long purposeful stroke she tasted Piper for the first time in far too long. The blonde let's out an almost pained moan. Alex has the audacity to smile. Oh how she had missed that sound. She maintains a slow and steady pace, deliberately taking her time, recalling all the other times this had happened. Remembering what it was that made Piper tick.

Alex would sometimes stop and pay attention to another part of the blonde's body. She licks and nips at the insides of her thighs. Goes back and suckles on Piper's lips, making the blond squirm. Bending her leg and biting right where he thigh met her ass. The only sounds heard in the bedroom where whispered names and almost inaudible moans. Alex was showing Piper that they almost didn't have a choice in the matter, they belonged together, plain and simple.

Alex sent Piper's sense into overdrive. At one point she had one of Piper's nipples in her mouth while the other was being teased with her hand. The blonde was nearly in a trance. The brunette slowly made her way down the blonde's body to finish what she started. She took Piper in her mouth and brought her closer and closer. The blonde's hand found its way to the brunette's head, gripping her hair tightly. Alex took in her mouth Piper's most sensitive spot, Piper let out a loud gasp. Alex kept going, she knew just when Piper was about to come. When she knew Piper was ready she grabbed the hand that was on her head and intertwined their fingers and felt Piper's strong grip. One last lick and Piper was moaning out Alex's name. The brunette kept going a few seconds longer, then laid her head down on the blonde's thigh and wiped her mouth on it.

She lay there a few minutes longer and made her way up the length of Piper's body smiling. "You're still really good at that. I hope you haven't been practicing." Piper said as she kissed Alex.

Laughing the brunette replied, "it's kinda like riding a bike." Alex rested her body on Piper's placing her chin on the space between the blonde's breasts. "You never really forget how to do it."

"Mmm I missed that smug look you get after we have sex." Piper pulls her up for another kiss.

Alex smiled into the kiss. "God I missed you." She pulls the blonde in for another kiss.

Just as Alex is about to pull away Piper holds her in the same position, deepening the kiss. She slips her thigh between Alex's and pinches one of Alex's nipples. The brunette moans loudly into the blonde's mouth and it only spurs her on. Piper kisses down Alex's neck and lightly bites where her neck meets her shoulder.

"Didn't know you had a vampire kink."

"You bring out things in me that  _I_ didn't even know I liked."

Alex places a hand on either side of Piper's body and lifts herself up slightly to adjust herself properly on the blonde's thigh when she feels the woman below her return her hand to her breast and take her other nipple into her mouth. Piper pinches one and lightly bites the other at the same time.

"Fuck, Piper."

Piper smiles and brings her back down for another dizzying kiss. Alex straddles her thigh and begins grinding on it. Slow and steady Alex never breaks eye contact with Piper.

"Oh god, Al, you're so wet." Piper bit her bottom lip, she knew what it did to Alex.

Alex went in for another kiss, but Piper moved her head so she could whisper something in the brunette's ear.

"Does that feel good?"

Alex nodded.

"I asked you a question, Alex. I said, does that feel good?"

Piper knew very well what she was doing. Alex was the one usually in control when they had sex, but occasionally Piper would take control and it drove Alex wild.

"Yes"

"Yes, what?"

"Yes it does feel good."

Piper slid one hand down behind the brunette and began massaging her ass. Enjoying the feeling, Alex began to grind faster.

"Nuh uh. Slow and steady."

Alex obeyed and her eyes nearly flashed as Piper looked into them. Her pupils were so dilated the green irises were barely visible. Piper continued teasing Alex wherever she could. Pinching her nipples, nipping at her shoulders, licking up the column of her neck. She teased Alex to the point of cruelty almost.

"Pipes, please, come on."

Piper pulled her in for another searing kiss and whispered in her ear, "come for me, Alex."

She didn't wait another second. She grinded faster on the blonde's thigh.

"Look at me."

Alex opened her eyes and looked into Piper's ocean blue eyes.

"Come for me, Alex." Piper wipes her sweaty hair from her face. "I love you so much. Now come for me."

"I love you too, Piper." And just as she said it Alex climaxed harder than she ever had before in her life, whispering Piper's name like a prayer.

The brunette lowered herself onto the blonde's body and tried to catch her breath. She laid her head on Piper's shoulder facing her neck.

"Fuck. I needed that."

Piper burst out laughing, "yeah me too. What was it, three weeks? Oh god, promise me we'll never go that long again."

"Now that's a promise I can keep." Alex smiled into yet another kiss.

* * *

"I really don't think we should be doin' this, Nick. What if she's upset and just wants to be alone?"

"I'll bet money on the fact that she's upset and just wants to be alone. But I know that that's not what she needs right now. It may be what she wants, but not what she needs."

"We should've at least called ahead. What if she's sleepin'?"

"We'll wake her up."

"You know, you're lucky I love you, because I'm not so sure I coulda been your friend."

Nicky smiles at Lorna, "yeah you love me. Now come on, let's go inside and set this all up. If I know her she's out on the terrace of her room smoking and drinking too much Scotch. She won't even hear us."

"Alright… but if she gets mad I'm putting all of the blame on you."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. I'm used to her wrath by now."

Nicky decided that since today, Friday, was the day Piper was supposed to be officially boarding her plane to Paris, they'd have the last cookout of the year at her house. But knowing her friend and how she'd probably skip it even though she said she'd be there, Nicky decided to bring the cookout to her.

Nicky unlocks Alex's apartment and puts her finger to her lips letting Lorna know to be quiet.

Whispering Lorna asks, "I thought she wouldn't hear us come in."

"She won't, but that doesn't mean we can't be quiet. I wanna get everything set up before she realizes we're here. That way I can guilt her into feeling like shit if she gives me a hard time for being here."

"You two have a very special friendship, you know that?"

"She's lucky I give her the time of day."

After about half an hour Nicky and Lorna had all the food setup in the kitchen. All that was left was setting up the portable grill they brought, but she'd have to talk to Alex first because she'd see Nicky anyway from her terrace.

"Alright, I'm gonna go get her. You ok finishing up in here?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Go get her!" Lorna smiles real wide at Nicky fully enjoying watching Nicky try her hardest to be a good friend to Alex during this rough patch in her life.

Nicky walks down the hallway preparing her opening line in her head.  _Something snappy and witty. Nothing too much, don't want her to kick me out right away._

Just as Nicky opened the door, she began talking rather loudly wanting Alex to hear her from the terrace where Nicky assumed she was. "You really never should've given-" Nicky was cut off by the sight of a nude Piper in the bed with her breasts on display, "a key."

Piper being a light sleeper woke up immediately. "What? Nicky?" She scrambles with the covers.

"Piper?" Nicky asked with surprise.

Alex stirred awake with the commotion. Not entirely sure if the past twelve hours or so was a dream or reality she was a little surprised to see a naked Piper in her bed. "Piper?"

"Alex?" Piper also a bit surprised to find herself naked in Alex's bed.

Alex looked up at the other person in the room, not making out who it was exactly since she didn't have her glasses on. "Nicky?" She asks as she holds the covers up to her chest.

"Hold on, it's six o'clock in the evening. Have you two been at it all night  _and_  day?" Nicky was smiling like a maniac at this point. "Lorna! C'mere, look at this!"

Lorna rushes into the bedroom, "Piper?"

"Holy shit! I have no idea what the fuck is going on here but I'm not against it." Nicky laughs out.

"Oh you stayed! You didn't go to Paris! Oh how romantic, you're with Alex instead of doing the whole Paris thing."

"Looks to me like she was doing the whole Alex thing."

Alex finally put her glasses on. "Nicky? Lorna? What… are you doing here?"

"You see, I thought you'd skip dinner with us so I decided to bring dinner to you. But it looks like you already ate."

Piper pulled the covers up over her head mortified.

Lorna held her hand to her mouth suppressing a laugh.

Alex smiled and just point toward the door to her room. "Can you give us a minute here, please? Thank you."

Lorna and Nicky left and went back to getting everything ready for their dinner.

As soon as the door closed Alex propped herself on her elbow and removed the covers from Piper's face. "Sorry about that. I honestly didn't know they'd be coming over."

Piper sighed, "it's ok, she's just trying to be a good friend is all."

"If you want I can ask them to leave…"

"No! Don't be ridiculous. It's Nicky and Lorna, they stay."

Alex smiled at the blonde and pulled the covers lower. "How about a quick shower and then we go out and have whatever they brought for dinner?"

Piper still on her back, "something tells me this shower is going to be anything but quick."

* * *

About an hour later Alex and Piper walk out of the bedroom all smiles and giggles.

"Hello again, you two love birds."

"Hi Nicky, Hi Lorna."

"Oh, Piper! I'm so glad you stayed!" Lorna rushes over for a hug.

"Yeah me too."

"I'm glad you stayed too, Blondie. It's not as much fun pickin' only on Alex all the time."

"I've missed you too, Nicky." And Piper really had.

Alex's stomach grumbles, "is there any food left or did Nicky eat it all?"

"Actually, asshole, I waited forty-five minutes to put the steaks on. You see, I knew you two would be take forever 'cause you'd probably be fuckin' in the shower."

Piper rests her elbows on the kitchen counter and buries her face in her hands.

"Don't worry, Blondie, we didn't hear you guys… much."

"Oh my god, Alex."

"Hey, Alex, how'd you get her to make that squealing sound?"

"Nicky, stop, you're gonna give her a second degree face burn if she blushes any harder." Alex laughs and rubs her hand soothingly on Piper's back.

"What?! I told you how I got Lorna to whistle outta her nose."

Just then Lorna turns around, "did you really?" She faces Alex, "did she really?"

Alex shakes her head no.

Lorna turns around asks the others, "Ok who's hungry? We've got stuffed mushrooms, I made those myself, and over there," she points to another tray, "we've got the cheese tray. Um what else? Oh yeah, I was gonna get some vegetables for dippin' but Nicky said not to bother."

"There's vegetables in every god damn dish for dinner, why do we need more?!"

Piper decides to screw with Nicky, "Oh Lorna that reminds me, I recently got this wonderful new book. It's a kale based diet mostly, but you can eat anything that's green and leafy."

"Ooo vegetarian?"

"Vegan actually. No meat, no cheese." Piper says smiling at Nicky.

"Fuck you, Blondie."

* * *

About four hours later they'd already had dinner, dessert, entertaining conversation and all in all a wonderful evening. After helping clean everything up, Nicky and Lorna made an early exit to give Alex and Piper more time to themselves. They're both sitting on Alex's couch so close to each other it's almost uncomfortable.

"I'm really glad you didn't go to Paris."

"Yeah me too." Piper sighed and Alex could tell she was worried about something.

"What's wrong?"

"Well since I was going to be in Paris for a while, I had sublet my apartment for two years starting in two weeks. Polly was going to get movers to come in and pack everything and put it in storage while I was gone."

"So now you've got two weeks to find a new place to stay, is that it?"

"Yeah, well I mean, I'm gonna stay on Polly's couch until I can work something out."

"Or, you could move in with me." Alex let the suggestion hang in the air.

"What?"

"I'm serious, move in with me. It makes sense. You have no place to live, I have plenty of room and we'd get to see each other naked much more often. It's a win/win situation."

"You're really serious about this aren't you?"

"Dead serious. So what do you say?"

Piper looks at Alex a minute longer and pulls her by the collar for a kiss.

"I assume that's a yes?"

"Yes, I'll move in with you."

Alex lies back on the couch smiling mischievously, pulling Piper with her. "Ready for a repeat of last night?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS. IT'S HERE. And it's a bittersweet feeling. I never really thought I'd finish this (lol I wasn't about to tell you guys) and now that I have I'm extremely proud of myself. I feel like that one Vitamin C graduation song should be playing or something. I'll be writing more, but I probably won't be starting in the next two weeks because I'm beyond swamped at work. You guys are the actual best and I'm gonna miss posting chapters and getting to read everyone's comments, ugh. PLEASE DON'T BE STRANGERS.

Piper sits in the office in their apartment going over invoices when Alex walks in and starts going through some boxes. Ten minutes go by and Alex is still looking through boxes.

"Do you need help? If you tell me what you're looking for I can tell you which box it's in."

"Where's that book you have on those juices? I can feel my body threatening to get sick and these juices are gonna serve as a pre-emptive strike against this oncoming cold."

Piper grabs a list and studies it for a second. "It's in box 17." She looks up at Alex.

Alex watches her for a moment. "You went through all of your boxes and made a detailed inventory report as opposed to just putting everything away."

"Yes, but you have to understand putting things away is not that easy, Alex. You have to find the right spot for things."

"You moved in a month ago, Pipes. How long exactly do you need so you can find the right spot for all your things?"

Slowly a huge smile spread across Piper's face. "One month." She put her elbow on the desk and leaned her temple on her fist. "One whole month of us living together, can you believe it?"

Alex grabbed the book out of box 17 and walked over to Piper. "One month to the day," she bent over and kissed the blonde, "maybe later we can christen the desk."

"Alex, this desk is hundreds of years old." She says as her smile disappears.

"I'm aware" the brunette chuckles.

"We are NOT going to  _have sex_  on it, no way." Her eyes got really wide.

"Ok fine, pick another surface then. Because it's happening." Alex smiled over her shoulder as she left the room.

* * *

"A little to the left."

Alex turns the star a little.

"A little more." Piper watches Alex as she moves it again. "Ok that's good, but just a  _little bit_  more."

"You know what? I think it looks great like this."

"It's not centered."

Alex stares at Piper.

"It's fine. Let's get the rest of the ornaments on the tree."

"I'll do this half you do that half."

"But what if they don't match?"

"I'm pretty sure they'll still let Christmas happen even if the two halves of our tree don't match."

" _Our_  tree." Piper smiles. "This is technically our first Christmas together, you know. Last Christmas we had only just met."

"Yeah, I remember." Alex smiles and looks over at Piper. "You kept wanting to see me naked, asking me what kind of freaky shit I did in the shower."

"What?! No, I never asked you that! I wanted to kno-" Piper stopped once she realized Alex was messing with her. "You're an asshole."

"Yeah, but you still love me."

"Yes, I do." Piper grabs another ornament to add to the tree. "It's so cold. Why is it so cold?"

"You're familiar with Winter, aren't you?"

Piper throws some tinsel toward Alex as she gets up and heads to the kitchen. She comes back a few minutes later with two mugs.

"Is that eggnog?"

"Nope, even better."

Piper takes a sip, "whisky?"

"Mhm, this'll warm you right up."

**_00000_ **

After several mugs of whisky, Alex and Piper had abandoned the tree and were dancing to Christmas songs in the middle of the living room.

"OH WAIT. I almost forgot. Piper stumbles towards their room and Alex laughs at her. She comes back with a tote bag.

"What you got there?" Alex asks as she sips from her mug.

Piper pulls out a holiday headband with fake mistletoe attached to it and puts it on.

"It's mistletoe! Come on, now you have to kiss me."

Alex walks over and kisses Piper. She  _really_  kisses her.

Laughing, Piper reaches in the bag and pulls out a Santa hat. "And this one's for you!"

"Nice try, but there's no way I'm wearing that."

"Oh come on, Alex, please. It's Christmas!"

"Christmas isn't for another three weeks, but nice try."

"Ok, what about if I wore the mistletoe and you wore the hat – hold on let me finish – we each wore one, but that's all we wore."

"You have my attention."

Piper walked up to Alex, put the hat on her and began unbuttoning her shirt.

"You see? These are the kind of Christmas activities that I like." She said smirking at the blonde.

* * *

"We're gonna be late."

"We wouldn't be running late if you had gotten up when I woke you the first time."

"I wouldn't have had trouble waking up if someone hadn't kept me up 'til three in the morning putting up Christmas decorations and-"

"Wait, how are you ready before me? I got up forty minutes before you."

"I don't know. I guess I'm just used to running late." Alex shrugs. "I'll be waiting in the living room."

**_00000_ **

They walk up to the corner where they were supposed to meet Nicky and Lorna, arms linked.

"Oh, look, Nicky, there they are." Nicky turns around watches the two approach.

"Hey, Alex," she says looking at the brunette. Then looking at the blonde she repeats, "hey, Alex."

"I don't get it. Why are you calling me Alex?"

"I may as well seeing as you're wearing her clothes."

Piper looks down and realizes she's wearing Alex's shirt, scarf, and coat.

"Are you wearing her socks too, Blondie?" Nicky laughs.

Alex wraps an arm around Piper's shoulder squeezing tightly, turns her face into her hair and whispers in her ear. "It looks better on you anyway."

Piper smiles that smile that Alex loves so dearly and looks up at her. The two share a sweet and tender kiss, but they're interrupted by Nicky.

"Oh for fuck's sake, please, you two. I don't wanna lose my breakfast on the sidewalk here."

"Oh, stop it, Nicky. I think it's sweet, how you two are so affectionate. Nicky's allergic to anything romantic in public." Lorna side-eyes Nicky.

"I just rather not subject the good people of this great city to this sickening display of affection."

"Nicky, you can try and fool yourself, but don't forget that I've known you for most of your life and know of every embarrassing poem you anonymously wrote in eighth grade for that girl you were pining over."

Nicky turns to Lorna, "next year we do our shopping by ourselves."

* * *

"I don't understand why we have to come all the way across town to  _this store_  when there's a perfectly fine store two blocks from home."

"Because, Alex, this is a locally owned business that sells organic and locally grown produce. We're doing our part to support the community."

"I thought that's why we went to the farmer's market?"

"Yes, that is, but they only have produce. This store has everything!" Piper's enthusiasm is so genuine that Alex was trying her hardest not to ruin this for her.

"Fine, ok. What's next on the list?"

"Peanut butter."

"Ok, I'll go grab that then, what aisle is it in?"

"No, we're gonna get the store made kind. It's in the deli."

"That isn't the kind you got last time, is it?"

"…yes."

"That shit tasted like glue, no way I'm eating that again. You can have that all for yourself. I want the kind of peanut butter that doesn't sweat."

"God, Alex, when you say it like that it sounds so gross."

Alex shrugs, "am I lying?"

"Ugh, ok fine, get whatever peanut butter you want, but we're getting the store made jam."

"Is that the kind you got last time? Because that shit was pretty fuckin' good, actually."

Piper smiles, "yes, that shit  _was_  pretty fuckin' good." Having grown up with a mother who she couldn't even say 'crap' in front of, she found Alex's way of expressing herself so refreshingly honest and amusing.

Alex hears the smile in her voice and looks up from the label on the can she's reading. That was another habit she'd picked up from Piper. Before Piper, Alex would never read labels or concern herself with chemicals or the amount of sodium in her food. Some changes are for the better she thought.

* * *

"For how long though?"

"A couple of months, no more than three, I think."

"Three months, Al? When do you leave?"

"No more than three, doesn't mean I'll be gone for three. My flight's tomorrow morning at eleven."

Piper slouched back on the couch and huffed exaggeratedly. "What am I supposed to do for three months?"

"Again, I'm not sure I'll have to stay the whole three months, I'm saying three just as a precaution."

"A precaution for what?"

"In case I take longer than the amount of time I'm supposed to be there. That way I won't have to cancel any appointments."

"This sucks."

"Yeah, I know, babe. I'll do my best to get this whole shit show sorted as quickly as possible and I'll be on the first flight back."

"You promise?"

Alex smiled as she came over to sit next to Piper on the couch, "I promise. You know I can't resist that little pout of yours." She touched Piper's bottom lip with her thumb.

The blonde smiled as she pushed Alex back onto the couch. "Well then I might as well give you your going away present now then, right?"

Alex smiled as she kissed Piper, but deep down she was absolutely hating the fact that she had to leave her.

* * *

"Hey, Pipes?"

"You remember that new burger joint by the Thai place in front of the Puerto Rican place?"

Alex had just gotten home after an unusually easy day at work and felt like having dinner out.

"Pipes? You home?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. She opened it and put the cap in the jar Piper got her. She got Alex the jar to store all the bottle caps when she remembered how Alex used to love doing things with them when she was younger. She didn't anymore but liked keeping them for some reason. Piper didn't mind, she just wanted them to be neatly organized in a designated area, hence the jar.

As Alex walked out of the kitchen she sees a man standing in her living room holding a pipe and completely soaked from the waist up. Both stood silently and stared at each other for a few minutes.

"The bathroom pipe." He said as he lifted his hand to show Alex.

"Why isn't it  _in_  the bathroom then? Also, who the fuck are you?"

"Oh, well, I'm fixing the sink since the water's been slow going down."

"Thanks… but, again, who the fuck are you?"

"Cal."

Alex waits for more information but doesn't get any when she suddenly remembers something.

"Cal. Cal Chapman?"

"Yep."

"You're her brother, right?"

"Yep. Who're you?"

"Alex."

"Wait,  _you're_  Alex? You're a woman."

"Wow, you should've been a detective. I guess you missed your calling."

"Hey, I don't give a shit who Piper dates. But boy oh boy, mom and dad would shit a cow when they find out." Cal was smiling really wide.

"You like burgers, Cal?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?"

"Great, then dinner's on me."

"Is the beef grass fed?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? Is it, like, a family thing?"

"Oh, no, I was just wondering. I'll eat whatever, but just, uh, don't tell Neri."

"Who?"

"My fiancée."

"Gotcha. Where is Piper by the way?"

"She mentioned something about… what was it? The pope store?"

"…do you mean Popi, her store?"

"Yeah, that could've been it. I had my head in the cabinet under the sink so I can't be sure."

"You know what? I'll just give her a call. Thanks though."

"Don't mention it." Cal trudged back down the hall towards the bathroom.

Alex picked up her phone and laughed softly while shaking her head. "The pope store."

* * *

"What is it?" Piper asked excitedly.

"Open it and you'll find out." Alex laughed out.

Piper carefully opens the envelope and removes its contents. She looks at the papers for a second.

"Al?" she looks up, "Al?!"

"I can change the destination if you've already been there."

"What? No! Of course not." She's nearly speechless.

"So you like it?"

"Do I like it? Are you kidding me?" She hugs Alex tightly. "I love it, oh my god, Al." She rains kisses down all over the brunette's face.

Alex turns her over and pushes her down. "Me and you and two weeks at a villa. How's that for a birthday gift?"

Piper flips her over, pins her down and straddles her. She stares at Alex for a minute and lets her actions do the talking.

_**00000** _

"Ok, we got everything?"

"Yes, I've got our passports, the boarding passes and everything else."

"Really you should just take a pill or something like I am. It's a really long flight, trust me, you'll be too nervous to read anyway."

"I'm so excited, though! I've never been East of Germany!"

Alex smiles as she closes the door so they can make their way to the airport.

_**00000** _

"Pipes. Pipes, wake up, we're here."

"Hm?"

"Welcome to Cambodia, kid."

* * *

"Wanna get lunch tomorrow?"

"I can't, remember? It's tomorrow."

Nicky looks at her friend and smiles genuinely. "I'm real happy for you, you know that? I mean it. Not to be an ass, but I never thought I'd see the day. I'm glad it's here though."

"Me neither, but I'm glad too." Alex smiles back.

**_00000_ **

They stood outside the door, hand in hand.

"Are you ready?"

Piper nodded.

"Are you sure? Because we don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Piper looks over at Alex. "I wanna do this. I really wanna do this."

Alex opened the door and let Piper in.

"Where do I sign? Here?" The brunette asked.

"Alright, ladies, congratulations." The broker said as he gathered the signed papers. "Here's your key. Enjoy your new home."

* * *

Nicky walks out onto the backyard patio. "I like this place. Got anymore houses on the market in this area?" She walks over, sits next to Lorna and slings her leg over Lorna's.

"I think there's a house two streets over. Same realtor we used, too. I'll give you her number." The blonde says while munching on a carrot stick.

"Oh can you imagine! Us bein' neighbors?! Having barbecue all summer long." Lorna is practically giddy.

Just then the phone rings. "I'll get it," Piper says as she walks toward the house.

Alex grabs her beer and takes a seat at the table next to Piper's chair. "Are you really thinking of moving out here?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's nice here. It's quiet. I imagine it's better to sleep on Sunday mornings."

"Oh definitely."

"And holiday parties too, we can those and just entertain more." Lorna as always planning parties.

They all hear a crash and Alex is on her feet in 0.02 seconds. "Piper!"

They all rush towards the back door and are glad to see the blonde is alright.

"What happened, Pipes?"

Piper answers but she's not really there. "I dropped a plate. Careful when you go inside." She looks up at the three.

"Piper, please, you're scaring me, tell me what's wrong."

She looks up at Alex and starts to silently cry.

"Jesus, Piper, here drink something." Alex offers Piper her beer.

"No." She pushes it away.

"Please, just drink something-"

"No, Al."

"Piper, I'm not kidding-"

"Not that. I can't drink… that." Piper says in a voice so quiet Alex almost didn't hear her. She looks up and stares directly into the brunette's eyes.

"What?"

"I'll have something to drink, but I can't drink  _that._ "

Alex freezes. "Who was that on the phone?"

"Dr. Gough."

"And you can't drink this?" She holds up the beer.

At this point Piper is both crying and smiling. "No."

"And she's sure?"

Piper nods.

Alex let's out a sound that's a cross between a sob and a laugh and begins openly crying. The two hug for what feels like forever.

Nicky and Lorna watch all this happen without saying a word, not wanting to interrupt whatever was happening.

"Hey, Vause, is everything ok?"

Alex, too busy enjoying the moment to respond, continues holding onto Piper for dear life.

Piper looks up at her two friends, while still being tightly held in Alex's arms, and simply says, "everything is… perfect." She begins crying again and soothingly rubs her hand on the brunette's back, "I'm pregnant."

 

**THE END**


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